Hoa Aloha
by TheDogo
Summary: In this sequel to 'The Iron Box', Danny enhances his bond and training with the newest member of Five-0, the Belgian Malinois 'Kahu'. The controversial placement of the highly coveted Malinois onto the Task Force and the Detective's unquestionable expertise as a police dog handler doesn't go unnoticed within HPD's specialized K9 Unit. Joint venture between TheDogo and IreneClaire.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note:_ _T__his is a true joint venture between TheDogo and IreneClaire. One crazy thought merged two separate stories into one. Reading TheDogo's 'The Iron Box' is not necessary but would be helpful as this story is technically its sequel. However, we both firmly believe that Hoa Aloha will stand well on its own merits and hope you enjoy the ride! __All Police Dog commands for this story are given in German. Definitions will be listed before each chapter: blieb/stay, aus/out, fass/attack or take it, gut/good, fuss/heel. Heartfelt 'thank you' to CinderH and JazzyG for the exquisite Beta work! And TheDogo is sneaking in a squeee to IreneClaire for allowing me to play in her sandbox!_

**Chapter 1**

The long afternoon sun mercilessly blazed onto the open dirt field, puffs of loose soil kicking up to cloud Danny's vision. Locking his determined gaze on the other Officer's antagonistic signal to proceed, he tenaciously nodded his readiness for the catch in return. Rivulets of sweat poured between his ridged shoulder blades and down his aching back. His legs quivered with tension while he braced again for the young dog's long running bite to the sleeve, his left arm extended to absorb the anticipated thump. The number of protection training exercises the Detective executed in the role of the helper/decoy during the stifling afternoon was causing his left forearm to crescendo into a disturbing numbness. His fingers were constantly slipping off the jute sleeve's corded grip causing the protective gear to slip dangerously low on his bicep. The feeling in his sweaty palm was slowly being extinguished by every successful three hundred and twenty pounds of pressure per square inch bite. Each compression intensified the mottled coloring of his badly bruised arm, causing his elbow to lock in tender stiffness. Sighing in resignation, he knew he would be hard pressed to conceal the beating his body was taking by Monday.

Kahu's slink forward in anticipation from her un-tethered down-stay caused his focus to suddenly waver. Hastily flashing the hand gesture to 'blieb' at his Malinois, Danny's concentration abruptly snapped back to the black and tan German Shepherd running at him to execute the frontal assault of the long grip. Ninety plus pounds of muscle slammed through the Detective's upper body for another powerful catch on the sleeve. This particular strike and grip demanded his undivided attention. Not because of the inexperience of the two year old German Shepherd, but because of the inherent handler-decoy conflict between the dog's Senior K9 Officer and himself. This qualified team's training exercises seeped of a personal vendetta that was being carried out by the handler...and the 'haole helper was the pursued.

The dog's strike hit dead center of the arm sleeve with the force of a freight train, pushing Danny back several feet in order to regain his tentative balance. Decisively agitating the dog to maintain his full, calm, convincing bite on the protective gear, the Detective patiently waited for the canine's handler to approach. The finished exercise called for Officer Hailama to calmly attach his leash to the Shepherd's collar. The officer's control of the dog through the leash deterred the police dog from hectic re-gripping when he was commanded to 'aus'. An excessively slow response from the seasoned K9 Officer meant the inexperienced dog had the opportunity to physically climb up the decoy's body to re-grip. This particular young Shepherd had a reputation for poor releases. The dog's tendency to anticipate having to give up the prized sleeve caused severely frenetic biting, a behavior his belligerent handler aggressively encouraged.

Officer Hailama's malicious snarl should have been Danny's first warning as the man antagonistically approached to 'aus' his dog. But the Detective's attention was instinctively split in three different directions; fringe awareness of his own Malinois, the K9 Officer's supposed placement of the leash, and the restless Shepherd's bite on the sleeve. Danny was also tired and sore; the protection run with Hailama the last blessed training exercise of the day. He certainly wasn't expecting the training scenario to go south so rapidly nor to have to purposefully defend himself from one of his 'own'. He should have known better.

Danny's deltoid muscle suddenly erupted in pain. He had missed the Senior Officers quietly issued 'fass', the young Shepherd unexpectedly permitted to re-strike and re-grip. Instantly slamming into the hard packed dirt with a painful grunt, the bite landed firmly on his shoulder while the dog's hind quarters tangled amongst his legs. Danny scrambled to get the upper hand when the escalating Shepherd shook his unprotected upper arm violently in agitation. Capturing the dog's muzzle with his right hand, he rolled the dog's lips under the front canines while wrapping his legs around the animal's waist to force closer proximity. He knew he was throwing the inexperienced Shepherd automatically into a defensive drive, the urgency for self-preservation. But Danny's actions were instinctual as well; he couldn't stop his forceful reaction to protect himself from further injury. Eventually able to roll into the bite, he anxiously positioned his torso along the back of the dog rather than fully underneath. The closer he could wrap his body around the canine without adding weight, the less leverage the Shepherd would have to utilize his powerful hind legs to re-grip again. Tucking his face into the scruff of the stressed animal's neck, he desperately held on waiting for the commanded 'aus'. As the rampant struggle of the Shepherd began to slightly ease, the repetitive thud of a boot suddenly pounded into the Detective's exposed ribcage. Danny's body clenched in reaction to the hammering, the strikes inadvertently escalating the dog's defensive struggle once more. His mind was unable to keep up in formulating further defensive action against the new onslaught, choking as his lungs attempted to draw in much needed breath. Dirt was entering his mouth, his jaw grinding in response to the grit now coating his teeth. He was in dire trouble and he knew it, his world swiftly narrowing to the act of just surviving.

Gauging the struggle between his dog and the man on the ground, Officer Hailama's fierce grin widened. Allowing the well worn leather leash to slip through his fingers, he surreptitiously kicked it to the side. Control over his dog purposely abandoned, his Shepherd would be permitted that much more time to do damage before he would be forced to intervene. The other five K9 Officers were working their dogs in tactical obedience and agility, all designated to other training areas but within sight of the current protection exercise. Kahu's explosive transition to a barking alert immediately brought attention to the melee taking place in the dusty section. Experienced police dogs rock solid in obedience instantly dropped to their haunches at their handler's curt commands. Officers sprinted towards the downed Detective, adrenalin spiking as the scene continued to escalate. Officer Hailama viciously kicked out towards the downed man, connecting well worn boots to exposed ribs. Roaring profanities to intensify the confusion, the malevolent Officer intentionally churned up more dirt. Effectively covering his additional contact to the Detective's torso, he hovered over the pair as the swiftly approaching handlers gained ground. Knowing his time was up, Officer Hailama begrudgingly bellowed the command, "AUS!"

Voices began to register again, hands cautiously attempting to move him onto his back. The flailing legs and searing grip were gone, replaced by the unyielding trodden earth. Slowly taking stock of his aching body, Danny murmured, "Let go…just… give me a second." His left arm was tucked up against his ribcage, someone diligently holding light compression against his puncture wounds. He knew there wouldn't be that much blood if the dog's fierce shaking of his arm hadn't torn his toughened skin. Puncture injuries were deep, more prone to infection than prolific bleeders. But everything freaking hurt as he struggled to sort out his thoughts. Someone was arguing off in the proximal distance as one of the dogs madly barked…his brain stuttered…Kahu. "Shit…where's Kahu?" he demanded, endeavoring to lever himself up into a sitting position with his right forearm.

"Stay put Danny. Andy's got her, she's right here. She's okay," one of the Unit Officers responded. Danny shakily re-settled himself back onto his stomach, tentatively wiping his encrusted eyelashes on his filthy sleeve. Officer Andy Kalakona was the youngest of the K9 Unit and a damn good handler. The Detective trusted the guy to handle his dog. While gingerly placing his forehead upon his uninjured forearm to keep his face out of the dirt, he felt a protective weight settle across the back of his calves. Danny chuffed, "That a girl, 'gut'." Forcing his body to relax even more, the shakes of an epic adrenaline dump began.

Following his unwarranted tussle to the ground, Danny was a disgusting, grimy mess. His overpowering desire to get back to the comparative safety of his home, temporarily overrode the necessity of a hot shower. Purposely ignoring the verbal clash that he assumed included Officer Hailama and the SSD Commander, he organized his body into some semblance of coordinated motion to get up out of the dirt. Gesturing his Malinois to 'fuss' to his injured left side, Kahu releasing his pinned legs so he could hoist his battered body into an unsteady kneel. Sitting slightly back onto his heels with a grunt, he squinted up at the young Officer, "You need a hand up?" Danny grudgingly offered his trembling elbow, "Yep, thanks." Yielding to the assistance in completing his endeavor of getting permanently upright, he wavered slightly before nodding affirmatively that his world had stopped spinning.

The debriefing and filing of the bite incident with the SSD K9 Training Commander was abruptly succinct. Officer Hailama had vehemently disputed the injured man's skills as a helper/decoy, blaming Danny for the dog's frenetic behavior. Because Danny had missed the purposely commanded 'fass', the young Shepherd's poor bite history fell in line with the inherent dangers of the protection exercise. The bloodied nail stripes along the Detective's chest and abdomen spoke to the power of the duo's struggle, intrinsic to protection work when a helper lost their footing. His mottled ribs were also easily explained away. Hailama's claim of 'accidental' contact to the ribs allegedly occurred while he was trying to assist the downed man. Danny's muddled brain staggered under the overpowering disgust of his situation. His earnest desire to eliminate his proximity to the aberrant K9 Officer provided the motivation for his brief statement; Hailama's reprimand resulting in an eventual slap on the wrist.

The heated argument of whether Danny required the less than desirable trip to the hospital or a ride back to his home was also short lived. He categorically denied all offers, stubbornly resolved to gut it out on his own. He knew he shouldn't drive and was solidly convinced he couldn't even raise his left arm up to the height of the steering wheel. His ribs and shoulder thundered protest at the tiniest of movement that he attempted once he became unsteadily vertical. And yeah, he knew he had to get his shoulder looked at by a physician and cleaned up. But he'd practically flown into an apoplectic fit when the unsuspecting young Officer suggested that his partner be summoned to come get him. He'd deal with the natural consequences of it all…later. Home, shower, sleep; the order of said tasks was…negotiable.

**~to be continued~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Thank you for cheering us on! To say that we are thrilled by your great reviews is an understatement. We both hope you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed pulling all the pieces together! And another thank you to CinderH and JazzieG for putting up with TWO impatient authors. Although this extra chapter is all IreneClaire's fault. Blame her! German Translations: ablegen/lie down and lie still, gut/good. _

**Chapter 2 **

Danny's 'later' realistically translated into a resounding NOW! Silently melting into the driver's seat of the sweltering Camaro, the Detective appreciatively leaned back into the accommodating headrest. Eyes gradually dragged closed as he required his body to take slow deep breaths, edging around his badly bruised ribs. His adrenaline dump had gone beyond epic proportions and had arrived at annoyingly incapacitating. Getting home in one piece obviously wasn't happening; he was likely not getting home at all until a mandatory visit to the ER transpired. Kahu uncharacteristically paced in the back seat, her handler's mounting stress regarding his alternatives were heightening the dog's restlessness. "Kahu, 'ablegen'…that a girl, 'gut'," he calmly soothed. His jumbled tentativeness was having a negative impact on his dog's well being; crap…decision made.

Peeling his crusted eyelashes open, Danny painfully ventured to fish his cell out of his filthy jean's pocket. He fumbled the slim devise onto the floorboards when the eclipsed image of a man loomed at his driver side window, the hesitant knock on the glass announcing the Officer's arrival. His aching body jerked in response, sending his injuries into unyielding protest. When his fingers staunchly refused to adhere to his brains demand to open the door, the wavering image obliged in his stead.

"Hey, Detective Williams. You okay? Sure you don't need a ride?" Officer Andy Kalakona tentatively leaned into the interior of the Camaro; taking in the man's overall disheveled, bleary state. "I noticed that you haven't gotten very far…" the Officer's jibe trailed off as he became aware of the now violent, tremulous shakes rolling through the wounded man's body. "Yeah, that settles it...hospital. Get out...my rig, I'm driving."

Danny's assisted move to the Officer's truck was fraught with blinding twinges from his shoulder and escalating nausea from the overpowering shock his body was fighting. Both men were hushed in their single-minded coordination of the transfer. Andy's silence was by nature, Danny's undeniably due to the trauma he had sustained. Upon getting the Detective situated in the passenger seat, Officer Kalakona scrambled to get Kahu safely secured in the back of his covered four wheel drive pick-up. The personal vehicle had been meticulously equipped for K9 SSD Tactical Team deployments. The long bed was outfitted with a customized shell to provide a properly air conditioned environment for up to four dog crates. The rig had also been outfitted with a heat alarm system, automatic watering system, and emergency back lights for long hours of deployment. Police dogs could be secured for up to eight hours on the vehicles back up battery system, allowing K9 Officers to focus on other assignments when not attending to their canine partners. The scrupulous attention to the detailed care of each animal along with his natural handling abilities spoke volumes to the man's character.

Officer Kalakona had been selected over numerous qualified applicants to join the coveted K9 Specialized Unit two years prior to the Detective receiving his dog. Qualifications to any K9 Unit included three years active street patrol as well as additional knowledge of operations and specialties of the designated SSD. Andy had completed 5 years street time, 2 years on SWAT, and 2 years with his previous police dog. The Officer's former dog had blown out his right cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL), the equivalent to a human ACL, during a takedown. In contrast to humans, the skeletal structure of the dog knee is such that the CrCL is under tremendous mechanical stress even during relatively sedentary activities. The injury required extensive surgery that had been unsuccessful in stabilizing the canine's stifle; the leg would never stand up reliably to the physical demands required for the job. Officer Kalakona's Shepherd had been retired from police work within weeks of Danny partnering with Kahu. SSD was now looking into purchasing another canine that would be made available to the Officer to eventually partner with.

Andy's furtive glances towards his injured passenger added fuel to his already numerous observations and respect for the man. Detective Williams' personality initially presented as a unique amalgamation of justifiable bristle and teeming expertise when he first began training with the K9 Unit. Danny's credentials and prior achievements with his Malinois 'Sig' while in New Jersey surpassed the entire SSD's Specialty K9 Unit in Hawaii, Senior Officer Hailama included. The fallout from the Governor's decision to place a canine in the Five-0 Task Force paled in comparison to the SSD's Training Commander's judgment to assign Kahu to the New Jersey native. The unintentional cataclysmic pronouncement had resulted in the unrelenting antagonistic conduct directed solely towards the new team. And Hailama had been front and center in orchestrating and elevating the early harassment. Danny had doggedly ignored the hazing, hunkered down, and thrown his entire being into training and developing his emergent rapport with the Malinois. He only willingly went rounds with the man when the Shepherd handler hampered or posed a threat to the safety of Kahu or another dog in the Unit. The two men unfalteringly ignored each other whenever feasible. But it was evident as time passed, that Hailama was gunning for the Detective. After today's blatant training exercise fiasco, the K9 Officer had decisively upped the ante.

Andy utilized his newly garnered status as an uninteresting target to his benefit. At two years, he was still the youngest member of the team and treated as such before Danny's incursion. Due to the hostility directed towards the Detective, the pressure of being a 'newbie' had lessened. Not inclined to join in on the hazing rituals aimed at the 'haole', Andy candidly tapped into the considerable knowledge the Five-0 Task Force handler had to offer. Pointedly volunteering to pair up with the Detective for training exercises at every opportunity, he had inadvertently sided with Five-0.

Hailama had made no qualms before the arrival of Detective Williams that he regarded Kahu rightfully his for the taking. Kahu had been a highly coveted import from Belgium. The dog fit squarely into Malinois breed standards weighing in at 62lbs and 23.5" at the withers. Her coat was rich fawn in color with a distinguishable black face mask. Trademark black, erect ears with a degree of black tipping on the weather resistant double coat hairs of her body gave the dog an overlay appearance. Small in comparison to her Shepherd counterparts within the Unit, what the Malinois lacked in stature she made up for in tenacious strength of mind, speed, and agility. Her foundations in police dog training had been rigorously established before the dog had arrived in Hawaii. However, over the past 28 weeks, Detective Williams' monumental execution of exquisite handling and knowledge of tactical training had catapulted the team past meticulously set international performance and training standards. No other K9 handler had achieved those goals within the history of the State of Hawaii. Detective Williams and Kahu were easily designated as one of the top 10 police dog teams within the country.

H50

The ride to Queens Medical Center had been immensely nerve-racking for Officer Kalakona. Danny's injury induced shock was causing his response times to the Officer's few questions to lag concernedly. His tremulous shakes not subsiding, the Detective unwillingly relinquished the occasional aggrieved groan when his body was inadvertently jarred by the rough ride. Andy had managed to trawl the Detective's cell phone from underneath the driver's seat and bring it with them. He had suggested only once to contact Commander McGarrett, the indignantly growled "No" a spectacular indication that asking again would be detrimental to his own health. Danny had no desire to contact anyone on his team concerning the most recent incident on the training grounds, his overly protective partner topping the short list of whom not to tell.

As far as Danny was concerned Hailama and the rest of the Unit were his fight. It wasn't the first time that his proficiency as a Detective, and now a dog handler, was brought into question by individuals he obligatorily worked with. His aptitude had largely become suspect due to the inadvertent placement of a canine on the Five-0 Task Force to begin with. No matter how hard his partner argued that 'full-immunity and means' justified the placement, Danny had something to prove on this one. And he was determined to accomplish that task based solely on his intrinsically hard earned skills. Not through some well meaning Neanderthal threatening the entire K9 SSD Unit with bodily harm.

The argument that ensued within the ER was no less impressive than what the Detective displayed at the training fields. Dr. Kapahu had eventually intervened to relieve the attending Physician who had been battling a recalcitrant Detective for the past 45 minutes. Danny's last spectacularly disastrous encounter with the Physician for calamitous injuries had earned the Doc the unequivocal honor of being summoned to the ER again. Dr. Kapahu was outwardly not pleased by the tribute, his agitation growing as he gained ground on the ER. Dealing with a grumpy, injured Detective and his overly protective SEAL watchdog was not on his 'to do' list for the day. In the meantime Andy had wisely remained in the background, attending to Kahu's needs and making arrangements for the abandoned Camaro to be transported to the Detective's home. Convinced that the injured man wouldn't tolerate admittance to the hospital, Andy settled in for the wait refusing to leave the man unattended.

"Sit down Detective Williams," Dr. Kapahu stated brusquely. "Let me see what damage you've managed this time." The Physician held back an amused snort as a cloud of dirt floated into the air when Danny dejectedly plopped his stiffening body onto the examination table. The character image of Charles Schultz's 'Pigpen' flitted through the man's mind before he could stop it. Peeling away the bloodied shirt sleeve and compression bandage, the Physician gently poked and prodded the injured area. "This is a dog bite," Dr. Kapahu raising his eyebrows in questioning inquiry although the pronouncement had been made as a statement. Danny's obstinately silent, glared retort had the Physician rolling his eyes in disgust. "Fine, first things first; getting you out of these filthy clothes and this shoulder and arm cleaned up so I can take a better look at it. I'm fairly confident I needn't warn you of the potential for infection with this type of injury. And we'll look at whatever else you've got going on after we deal with the puncture wounds. I'm assuming that there's more." Again, the Doctor's declaration overriding the potential query and ultimate requirement for Danny to produce a response. Signaling to a Nurse to begin assisting the headstrong man in cleaning up, Dr. Kapahu smirked at his hard earned upper hand in the situation. The Physician's unequivocal gesture to 'stay' while he exited the room, earned another glaring riposte from the Detective.

Dr. Kapahu's determined tread towards the waiting room had him fully expecting to find the towering image of the SEAL disconcertedly pacing within the suffocating confines of the cramped space. Gearing up for another full blown confrontation, the Physician was brought up short by the sheer _lack_ of presence from the Five-0 Task Force team. Uncertainly clearing his throat to gain himself some time to reshuffle his strategy of providing information, "Anyone here with Detective Williams?" Glancing towards the immediate response by the man who was almost as filthy as his patient, Dr. Kapahu threw out, "Officer…"

"Kalakona, Officer Andy Kalakona, SSD Specialty Task Force K9 Unit. I was training with Detective Williams when the injury occurred. I drove Danny here. How is he?" Andy fired off his questions to the Doc, not willing to offer any additional information unless forced to or cleared by Danny. His suppositions about what had transpired, were just that, educated theory. He wanted to talk to the Detective before shooting off his mouth or going against a member of his Unit. And it was information that the Physician didn't require to treat his patient.

"We're evaluating Detective Williams' injuries now. I had expected to find a disconcerted Commander McGarrett harassing my ER personnel for information on his partner. Hence my haste to provide information before I've had the opportunity to fully examine the Detective. I'll have additional information regarding the damage that's occurred and treatment upon a more extensive examination." Dr. Kapahu carefully surveyed the Officer as the man slightly fidgeted under his forceful scrutiny. The Physician was confident in his brief assessment that there was more going on here. But he was willing to let his niggling concern recede to the background when he received an unsubstantiated shrug from the Officer in response.

"Detective Williams requested that neither Commander McGarrett nor any member of the Task Force be contacted. As he is coherent and able to make his own medical decisions, I'm assuming you do not require Commander McGarrett's input for treatment. I'll be providing the Detective with transportation home after he's received medical attention." Andy had begun to bristle under the Physician's skillful eye. He knew when he was being grilled for information and didn't necessarily appreciate being shoved in the middle of whatever legitimate or otherwise reckoning Danny had for not contacting his teammates.

"Fair enough," Dr. Kapahu unenthusiastically capitulated. "I'll have one of the nurses keep you up to date on his status and likely time of release. Unless something unexpected pops up, he should be discharged later this evening."

"Thanks Doc, appreciate it," Andy earnestly proffered his hand, the Physician's firm handshake his only reply.

Six grueling hours later, Danny was finally returned home by his obstinate shadow. Barely getting out an appreciative thanks, he compellingly sent Officer Kalakona on his way with the disinclined pledge to check in with him Sunday. Kahu patiently paced at her handler's side as the Detective placed his dog's late evening meal in her designated spot. Finishing off their nightly ritual by offering her water and a quick opportunity to relieve, he stumbled to the bathroom to take care of his own needs. Peeling off the scrubs provided by Queens, he gingerly showered to get the remaining dirt and saliva off his body. Flushed and entirely beat to snot, the Detective all but collapsed into a congealed heap. It wasn't until 62 pounds of warm, sleek coat finally settled at the bottom of his feet that a restless sleep finally triumphed over him. He just didn't have the energy to dispute the protective, comforting intrusion.

**~to be continued~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: We seriously need to thank each of you for these great reviews! This is a DWOCD event which is dedicated to all of our FF friends, especially those that are ailing right now. Please feel well and we hope this story provides some enjoyment. BTW - Cargumentluv...your awesome reviews are memorable even when you leave them as a "Guest"! And CinderH, we're both groveling...serious groveling going on here! Eternal thanks for your amazing save!_

**Chapter 3**

"Hey Danny, wait. Can you take a look at this for me?" Kono innocently reached out, firmly grasping the Detective's arm to stop his forward momentum away from the smart table. Without warning, the man crumbled into a protective heap on the floor. Uncontrollably panting in an attempt to keep the starbursts of light from plummeting him into darkness, he curled his left shoulder protectively under his hunched body. Rocking vaguely as he drew his knees up to his waist to safeguard his injuries, he ground his forehead into the floor when the rifling pain escalated. His outstretched right palm slapped against the linoleum floor in remonstration to the fire traveling along his nerve endings.

"CHIN! Crap…Danny, what's wrong? What'd I do?" Kono dropped to her knee's beside the Detective, hands raised in hesitation. She didn't know how to provide help, where to touch him without causing more damage. "Danny...I'm sorry, brah. God Danny…I'm sorry…" she trailed off as her cousin skidded to a halt beside them.

"Kono, go get Steve. He's downstairs with Duke." Chin exchanged places with his scrambling cousin as she bolted off to grab their boss. "Danny…," Swiftly sinking to the floor, Chin lightly placed his palm across his friend's spine. Disturbingly aware of the raised scars scattered along the man's back, he suppressed a shudder of anger over the beating his friend had received from the gun runners almost a year prior. The slight tremor that traveled from one end of his friend to the other had Chin blowing out his breath in apprehension. "Danny, help me out here…I don't know how to help you…Can you let me see?"

Eyes clenched shut, head slightly shaking 'no'; his negative warning not to shift or touch him was all he could muster as a response. He couldn't move yet. He had barely managed to conceal the unrelenting stiffness and raging ache that had been dancing at the edges of his awareness all morning. Kono's unexpected grip on his arm had spiraled that awareness into a radiating inferno of hurt. Danny agonizingly groaned in frustration when he became aware of the frantic sprint of his approaching teammates. His carefully concealed injuries would be intentionally shoved to the forefront upon their arrival.

Steve slid into position by his partner's shoulders, Chin slightly giving way to allow his access. "What happened," he demanded, eyes burrowing into Chin's own questioning glance. Placing his open palm behind his partner's neck, the SEAL calmly applied a supportive squeeze.

"I grabbed his arm and he dropped like a rock. I barely touched him Steve…" Kono worriedly trailed off. She had no idea why her friend was lying in an agonizing puddle on the floor and it was eating away at her that she had somehow caused this severe of a reaction to her grasp.

Danny's breathing had eased somewhat, his eyelids fluttering in an effort to open back up when he rasped out, "Kahu…"

The SEAL was at a loss as to what the hell was happening with his friend, what HAD happened. But doing nothing, even if it meant doing the wrong something, seemed like a good option at the moment. "Kono, get Kahu. She's crated in Danny's office," the frustration grating through Steve's vocal cords as he bit off his words. Danny's tentative indicator 'no', that's not what he meant, notched up his partner's annoyance another level, "Shit, Daniel. I have no idea what's going on here. Just… take a minute, okay?" Steve wasn't all that certain that his directive wasn't actually meant for himself rather than his partner. That he _wasn't_ pleased something potentially injurious had ensued that he was completely unaware of was a colossal understatement.

"Trying…sorry…hurt…Kahu" Danny grunted in an effort to get his elucidation of events successfully delivered.

The unnecessary apology took the aggravated wind right out of the SEAL's tattered sails, "Yeah Danno, Kono's getting her. But what hurts brah?" Danny's anguished displeasure that his communication was still misconstrued was interrupted by the appearance of Kono and his dog.

The Detective had made certain that each Five-0 member was capable of handling his dog effectively in tactical obedience. Both the safety of his dog and the Task Force was based on the Malinois' ability to adjust to the various handling styles of his teammates. The Detective's rationale was that if he were to be injured while working his dog, Kahu's response to another handler's commands could potentially impact the integrity of any existing operation. The use of his dog in a tactical deployment situation was intended to supplement or enhance the Task Force. Danny's stance and philosophy clearly maintained 'the dog adapts to the Team, not the Team to the dog.'

Kono placed Kahu on a down stay between Steve and Chin, giving the Malinois access to her handler without interfering. "Danny, she's here. By your right side, can you reach her?" Danny's fingers indomitably spider crawled along the smooth floor until definitively making contact with his dog's front legs. Kahu lowered her muzzle in response to his touch, purposely nosing her handler's fingers for more attention. The Detective leisurely stroked from her muzzle up to the dog's stop, lightly scratching with his forefinger. He softly chuffed as she melted in bliss, her head dropping onto her paws contentedly.

"Danno, we need to get you up off the floor. Are you okay to move?" Steve noted that his friend's breathing was finally settling into a more controlled pattern, his forehead rolling to the side as his bleary gaze shifted to his partner. "Can you make it to your office?" The Detective's gentle pat to his dog's forehead and slight nod in the affirmative signaled Steve and Chin into cautious tandem motion. Placing hands gently along their teammates back and right side, Danny was able to lever himself up off the floor and slowly shuffle towards his office. Hunched protectively over his nagging left arm, he gingerly sank his aching body into the back of the sofa, head cast backwards to rest. Kahu padded along behind, settling back onto her dog bed attentively watching her handler.

The SEAL's next carefully guarded statement instinctually threw up the Detective's protective barriers before he could stop them, "Danno, didn't you put in extra training with the K9 Unit this weekend?" Steve towered in front of the Detective, arms folded tightly across his chest in challenge. The man knew the answer; he had been frantically shuffling through his thoughts to determine where his partner had been the last two days. This weekend had been 'Grace-less', which meant his friend would have devoured that time for advancing his dog's training. Danny firmly embodied the viewpoint that acquired skills were perishable and required constant maintenance to keep them finely tuned. The Detective's commitment to excellence didn't thrive on the challenge nor gravitate toward the adrenaline rush of pursuing both self-motivated high achievements and the criminal element. The ethical and moral landmines for any police dog handler were defined when a K9 team messed up; someone…a partner…might possibly die. Danny's unequivocal rejection of another repetitive, catastrophic scenario where he lost another teammate to death drove him incessantly. The SEAL knew what motivated the Jersey native's actions, intensely acknowledging this about his friend. But Steve firmly alleged that Danny required his 'ohana' to act as his buffer. The Detective would implode under the self-imposed pressure without them.

Danny wasn't surprised by the statement, knew the events of this weekend were central to the conversation after what his team had witnessed. His singular foray into the escalating conflict between himself and Hailama wouldn't be tolerated as a one man mission any longer. His injuries had betrayed him, he just needed a minute to regroup and change his mind set before his partner blew a gasket. "Yep," was all that the man could offer up at the moment. He was literally stuck; no forthcoming rant at his concerned friend and absolutely no idea how to freaking explain his altercation with Hailama without substantiated proof. No…just, nothing.

"Let me see," the SEAL impatiently growled.

"What?" Danny stupidly countered. He knew what his partner was asking. But that meant venturing to get his arm _out_ of his sleeve which had taken a herculean effort this morning in getting it _in_.

"I said; let me see, Danno…your shoulder," the man impatiently repeated, leaning forward to place his hands on his knees, his steel determination daring his partner to refuse. "I mean it Danny, I want to see."

"I'm going to need some help here," Danny hissed, knowing that this really wasn't the hill he wanted to die on. That would come later…well, sooner if this exchange was going to continue. Managing to get his neatly pressed dress shirt unbuttoned and slid off his shoulder, the discomfort of having to manipulate his arm ratcheted his ache back into levels of endured throbbing.

Kono had vigilantly settled herself onto the sofa's arm rest, her observant cousin leaning back onto the edge of the Detective's vacant desk to wait the two men out. She willingly slid onto the sofa's soft cushion, placing herself at her friend's side to grant his unenthusiastic request. Kono gasped at the angry raised sutures that poked at the soft material of his clean, white T-Shirt sleeve when his arm was exposed. Her realization that the placement of her sudden grasp must have landed directly on top of the wounds, abruptly snapped into place. "Danny, what happened?" Kono recognized the wounds as deep, penetrating puncture marks, but she was wildly flummoxed as to how her teammate could have received them. He had been on a training exercise, not gone rounds with a pack of wild coyotes.

Chin had abruptly pushed away from the desk when he took in the densely mottled black and blue bruising from the Detective's shoulder on down to his wrist. "No…wait. What else, brah. You haven't shown us everything, have you? There's more…Danny, there's more, isn't there," the Hawaiian uncharacteristically rumbled, moving closer to examine the man's badly damaged arm. Chin had been silently waiting the man out all morning, instantly perceiving his friend's atypical stilted body language when he had entered the office. He would have persisted longer in patience, but finding his teammate plastered to the floor in distressing misery following Kono's plea for aid pressed the tolerant man past his limits. Steve was right to push this time; Danny was in more trouble than he had been letting on, the Detective gratuitously thwarting his 'ohana' from getting drawn in.

Kono's passionate gaze astonishingly ping-ponged back and forth between the two men, "Brah, really?" Brazenly grasping the Detective's shirt hem, Danny frustratingly batted her fingers away to prevent her from exposing his stomach and ribs.

"Danno…" Steve swiftly cautioned, his partner's reluctance testing the team's patience tenfold. "Lift up…or I help Kono do it."

Danny rolled his stubborn blues in response, "Fine, have at it." Leaning back into the solid comfort of the couch, he tenderly lifted his shirt. Eyes closed to disavow his teammate's shocked reactions; he revealed the deep crimson gouges along his chest and stomach. The bruising along his ribcage had deepened to dense black, the intense purpling limited to outlining the less damaged area. Wide crescent patterns from intense ectopic bruising revealed one cause of his injuries. Radiating tension while he waited for his partner's heated outburst, he involuntarily jumped when he felt calloused hands warily placed along the tops of his knees.

"What happened this weekend Danno…who did this?" Steve sank to his haunches, balancing on the balls of his feet in front of his partner to gain his friend's undivided attention. His hushed appeal for answers was not the reaction the Detective had expected. Danny knew the rage was deeply buried there as well, but his teammates requests were becoming exceedingly hard to ignore. And he was tired; tired, sore, and admittedly fraught with unease as Hailama's obsession had escalated and gotten so rapidly out of hand.

**~to be continued~**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: CinderH - Your on a roll...thank you...again! And to the Master Yoda...best...laugh...ever, last night! Still chuckling! And lastly to Jlopie...just send the bloody thing...please! German translations: fuss/heel, setzen/sit, suche/search, platz/down. Hope you all enjoy._

**Chapter 4**

After what seemed like hours, Danny successfully reiterated the monumental calamity of the additional training weekend amid outbursts from his three disconcerted teammates. Throughout the vivid account, the SEAL was exasperatedly pacing the office. Kahu had stealthily moved off her dog bed to demand attention from her handler, the frustration levels in the room reaching alarming heights. Placing her head gently on the Detective's knee as her indicator, the man soothingly placated her disquiet with his touch. A potentially heated row between the two partners was thankfully averted due to the Detective's prior physical ill-treatment and his dog, although Steve came close several times to initiating one. His friend's failure to fully grasp the notion that the Task Force was 'ohana was at times like this, astronomically infuriating. The Jersey native's passion and worry for everyone else didn't preclude him from his counterpart's reciprocal thinking.

Pulling the hem of his shirt back in place, "Look, I can't prove anything" Danny ground out in frustration, running his hand through his hair "but there's something all wrong about this. I'm just not that important for such a gross overreaction from the guy. You don't put your career on the line for something as minor as this. There's more, but I have no idea what the connection is."

Steve had to agree with his partner's gut instinct on this one. Hailama's reaction to Danny was so blatantly over the top, there had to be a correlation other than the intrusion of a 'haole into the man's spotlight. The SEAL had every intention of having the rest of his team follow-up on that train of thought, but only after they had cleared some new ground rules regarding K9 training sessions. The Commander psychologically braced himself for another impassioned rant from his partner; Danny would be emphatically less than thrilled.

"Alright Danno, but here's the deal. No more training sessions without Five-0 present to cover your six. You take us with you to train with Kahu. And if all of us can't go, then at least one of us has to be there." Steve held up both hands as if to placate his partner's glaring objections. The SEAL'S ire towards his friend was mounting due to the man's stubborn refusal to admit that a fellow officer could be dangerous or explicitly cause him harm. The Detective's prior dealings with HPD should have unconditionally proven to him otherwise. "No! No argument here, this is nonnegotiable. You take one of us if you're going to train with SSD. I don't want Hailama anywhere near you or Kahu without backup. This is not just about you, Danno. You have no idea what he's capable of or how much this could spill over to other members of the team. And no, Danny, I'm not talking about the rest of us, I'm talking about Kahu. If Hailama is willing to go after you, he's got to be more than willing to go after her. You've said it yourself; he treats his dog as a tool, nothing more."

"He's right, brah," Chin's unyielding agreement deflating the Detective's mounting annoyance with his friend. "Danny, we're a team. You've hammered into all of us the reasons dogs fail in a high-risk tactical environment; the lack of tactical training. The dog seeing actions it has never seen before, seeing a picture of fully geared officers or strategic movements that it is not familiar with and therefore becoming confused…'train as you deploy'. We get it brah, and we're more than willing to put in more hours to keep you and Kahu safe when working with us. You and that furry beast need our help with this one."

"You guys have already put in the hours Chin. I can't ask you to take more time away from your lives outside of Five-0," Danny tenaciously fired back. The Detective's unremitting drive to prove his point evident, but his flagging body began to take precedent over any additional speculation or protest. The man was emotionally and physically whipped and he knew it.

"Give it up, brah," Kono gleefully countered. She had also skillfully noted her friend's sagging fortitude, her countenance becoming unyieldingly satisfied in putting the ridiculous discussion to bed once and for all. "You're stuck with us, get over it." Steve and Chin chuffed in amusement at the rookie's delight in besting the seasoned Detective. In the recesses of her mind, Kono made an additional promise to herself. Investigate further Officer Kimo Hailama's HPD files and verify with her cousin what seemed to be tampering with Danny's personnel information. If someone had tapped into the Detective's personal life, Five-0 needed to know in order to protect him.

"Come on Danno, early day for you and Kahu. Time to get you guys home. It's nothing but following up crumbs and I swear I'll come get you if something pops. Just one more day and then you're back, no arguments from me." Steve's smirk at the collaborative win quickly faded as his friend's body sagged even further into the couch, lids at half mast in exhaustion. The lack of a reproach settled it, "Alright, change of plans. Kono grab what we need, continued work day at my place. Barbecue to follow and you, my friend, are staying the night," pointing his finger at the Detective determinedly to counter any potential rebuttals. Concernedly signaling for Chin to help, they managed to get their friend loaded into the SEAL's truck, Kahu settling quickly onto the back seat. Danny was dead to the world within five minutes, finally relaxing enough for a sound sleep to overtake him.

H50

Five-0 had gotten the call exceedingly early the following week; multiple shots fired in a quiet, residential neighborhood off of State Route 80 just inside of Wahiawa. When the team arrived in the older western suburb, they were hailed by Duke Lukela and the SSD SWAT Commander. A 32 year old suspect had been witnessed brandishing a shotgun prior to retreating into his 1,800 square foot, ranch-style home. The Sergeant believed the man to be connected to the Task Force's current investigation and had set up a perimeter, positively identifying the man as Rollin Lewis. Kono had branded Lewis as an unaffiliated gun runner that had begun to make a name for himself amongst the islands late last week. Following the recent rumblings of another influx of weapons, Lewis was someone they wanted to get their hands on. Negotiations for the jumpy suspect to come out of the blockaded residence had been attempted by SWAT prior to the Five-0 team's arrival, but had been categorically unsuccessful. Following the failed intensely heated dispute, the suspect flew into a rage, bursting out of his residence with his sights set on the fully engaged SWAT and HPD units. Officers systematically returned fire, appearing to have hit their target at least once when the man spun back onto his cluttered lanai. Lewis successfully staggered back into his residence, further entrenching himself into his effectively defended home. Fired rounds of CS incendiary tear gas canisters blasted through the dilapidated covered windows in an additional endeavor to deter an escalated surrender. There had been no acknowledged response from the suspect since the deployment of CS into the dwelling. With the arrival of Five-0, the Task Force Commander would be coordinating the enduring stand-off with the full resources of SWAT and HPD at his disposal.

"Steve, you need to pull in the remainder of SSD's Canine Unit to help secure the perimeter." The team had been pouring over the topographical and residential maps after being debriefed on the incidence's status. HPD Officers were being diverted to assure that other residences were evacuated leaving huge holes if Lewis decided to 'do a runner'. Located directly behind the residential suburb was the 27 acre, Wahiawa Botanical Garden; open to tourists year round and providing their suspect with a multiple hostage situation if allowed to escape his residence. The botanical gardens posed their own challenge as well, providing dense vegetative cover that would allow their suspect to bury himself within undetected. The additional K9 Units search and tracking skills would be necessary in locating him if he obtained entrance into the vast acres of tropical flora.

Steve shot a furtive glance at his partner before aiming his demands at Chin, "Do it. Ask Duke to coordinate them along the northern side of the residence, closest to the Gardens." Chin nodded his affirmation; locking troubled glances with the SEAL, further acknowledging their apprehension of pulling Hailama into the mix.

"It's fine Steven. You don't have a choice here. It's the right call," Danny asserted. Kahu had been placed on a down-stay by the patrol car the team had been using as an ad hoc worktable for the maps. Leash draped lazily on the ground beside her spoke to the Detective's confidence in his dog's ability to proficiently execute her duties and follow his commands. Even with the seemingly frenzied activity around them, the air of intense anticipation of further action hadn't nudged her high alert off her handler.

"You sure Danno? I don't want to include Hailama in this when we'll have our hands full with just bringing down Lewis. The feeling of having to look over my shoulder wondering where this guy's head is at isn't all that appealing," Steve countered.

Danny begrudgingly shrugged in acknowledgement, "We've got no proof of malfeasance. Stick to protocol, it's still the right call."

These were the times that the SEAL wanted to shove protocol down law enforcement's throats. He felt like he was knowingly placing his partner and the rest of his team in danger but there wasn't anything he could do about it. Danny was right, they needed the K9 Unit for this operation and they couldn't exclude Hailama without substantiated proof; of which they had none. Steve reached over to grab his partner's uninjured arm to highlight his unease, "Alright, but just be careful Danno. I know your still hurting, so no heroics. I want you and Kahu back in one piece at the end of this."

Danny guffawed, his determined squint spilling over in amusement, "Pot…kettle…black…super SEAL!" Patting his partner's shoulder for emphasis, he signaled Kahu to the heel in order to get the team properly outfitted. His anticipation of a forceful tactical entry into the house was likely.

Following an hour of intense preparation and strategic placement of personnel, the decision was made for Five-0 to make the treacherous entry into the home with the additional support of SWAT operatives. Rather than putting his teammates or SWAT in preliminary harm's way, the intricate and agonizing decision was argued by Danny to enter as trained – by deploying Kahu first. The Malinois was painstakingly qualified to systematically search the entry point and surrounding area before any officer's entered the residence to do a slow, deliberate search for the subject.

The four designated SWAT team operatives and Five-0, made their approach to the building without incident. Danny and Kahu were in the number five position in the stack. The Malinois maintained the 'fuss' position at her handler's left side, an automatic 'setzen' executed whenever movement halted. Upon breaching the east side of the residence, the Detective knelt for a better viewpoint past the forward four in the stack. Opting for an off leash deployment of his dog up to the motionless closed front door, Danny gestured 'suche'. If Lewis was standing just inside the closed door, his dog would alert on the subject. The Malinois patiently worked the drafts from underneath the door, clearing the possibility of the suspect waiting in ambush for the stack to approach. Under handler interpretation of no acting indicators, Danny signaled again, 'platz'; his dog immediately dropping at the opening, waiting for the tactical team to breach the door.

Danny blew out a tense breath. Deploying his dog was innate to him, but this wasn't an intricate training exercise. This was real life with inherent dangers that his dog would never fully comprehend. To her, this _was _another run though, another gratifying game where at the end she was highly rewarded for her performance by her handler. She thrived in the high drive intensity of a search or take down. It was instinctual to her, and she excelled at it. Danny was the one who bore the burden and responsibility of placing his dog in danger and the knowledge that she may not survive every tactical incidence unharmed. And the difference between her deployments versus any other member of the team was that the team consciously made a choice to place themselves in harm's way. Kahu did not.

The weight of sending his dog ahead for limited penetration into the residence was fraught with the mixture of adrenaline and anxiety for the man. Danny's now trademark 'wear his heart on his sleeve' could potentially affect his dog's performance if he hesitated. Kahu was not just a tool to the man, but had become a part of his 'ohana the minute he had laid eyes on her. It was impossible for the Detective to push his emotions aside and view his dog solely as an important tool that is expendable at the risk of losing human life. The weight of that realization was almost crushing. But Danny also wrestled with the knowledge that if he was forced to make the decision between his canine and his human 'ohana he wouldn't hesitate to place his dog's life in danger.

Slamming his emotions into check he again gestured Kahu to 'suche'. While Five-0 and SWAT maintained limited cover outside the location, the Malinois searched approximately 30 feet into the residence to clear the initial entry, living room, and kitchen. As no alert was forthcoming from the dog, the combined team made entry and systematically re-cleared the space. The dog was then sent to clear the hallway and two bedrooms before any officer's entered those locations. Danny groaned in frustration, "Shit." All that remained was a closed door at the end of the hallway.

**~to be continued~**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: To Jlopie...so, so proud of you! Thank you for trusting us...well, me! I can't speak for the green, pointy eared IC'k! DWOCD...more healing thoughts and prayers to you and your loved ones. German Translation: fass/attack or take it. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 5**

"Danno…" Steve's apprehension dripping from the simple utterance of his friend's name.

"Don't Steven," Danny voiced as he tapped Chin on the shoulder indicating he needed to switch to second position in the narrow hallway. Kahu had automatically downed following her unquestionable alert; Rollin Lewis was definitely behind the closed door. The Detective needed clearer visual access to his dog in order to direct her before the team pushed forward. Controlling the dog's speed and penetration into the entry point allowed the team to continue to re-clear the area directly behind her.

No one at the cordoned off scene had seen or heard from the suspect in the last few hours, perimeter officers emphatically certain they had hit the man earlier in the standoff. There was a more than good possibility that Lewis would be determined deceased inside the room. The combined team having successfully breached the door gave repeated concise orders for the suspect to come out of the room. The demanded surrender was met with no response.

Chin's hand landed squarely on Danny's tense shoulder, squeezing reassuringly when Danny indicated to his teammates his excruciating decision to send Kahu into the room first. What they didn't know was that the suspect was still alive, a sadistically set up ambush waiting inside the room upon entry. Rollin Lewis had strategically situated the furniture to funnel anyone who entered the room toward his barricaded position, where he could methodically shoot and kill whoever forced entry.

Upon receiving the indomitable command 'fass', Kahu decisively launched towards the suspect's location. A single shot vibrated throughout the room before all hell broke loose. Lewis's scream of infuriated pain trailed the still echoing gunfire as the man began shooting indiscriminately through the walls. Danny's reactive emotional move towards the initial single shot in the room had placed him parallel to Steve and out of the limited protective cover. The man spun into the SEAL as his left arm exploded in pain, a bullet effectively drilling into his bicep and dropping him onto the floor. Chin, directly behind his friend, defensively returned fire while grabbing the man's Kevlar vest to pull him out of harm's way.

"Steve, go!" Chin bellowed, indicating he had Danny taken care of. The Detective was struggling to get up, resulting in causing more complexity to their situation for his friend. "Damn it Danny, stay down!" The cacophony of sound within the narrow hallway was deafening as the remaining Task Force and SWAT returned fire. "Kahu…" Danny's plea was drowned out by the continued ravaged gunfire. The cousin unrelentingly hauled his friend down the hallway, aiming for the safety of the front door and the exit to the under siege residence. Stumbling out onto the lanai, the encumbered man firmly in tow, the pair was instantly swarmed by Sgt. Duke Lukela and K9 Officer Andy Kalakona. Grabbing Danny's belt and flinging the man's arms over their shoulders, the Detective was shuffled across the lawn into the soundless perimeter.

Steve, Kono and the remaining SWAT operatives charged the interior of the room weapons at the ready. The hush was profound after the ballistic volley of exchanging bullets. The only sound was the indomitable struggle behind the tunneled barricade to the left of the entrance between dog and man. Rollin Lewis was weaponless, his shotgun a man's length from his straining outstretched arm. Kahu's initial lunge towards the man had created the original discharge of his firearm, grazing her ribcage. She aggressively re-engaged landing her strike on Lewis's left hamstring as he fired rounds at Five-0 and SWAT. Eventually dragging the man to the ground in steadfast determination, the Malinois caused the man's reflexive grasp on his shotgun to slip as he attempted to slam the butt of the weapon into her skull to get her off the bite. Steadily dragging the man by inches in the opposite direction from his downed weapon created the advantageous diversion the remaining team needed to apprehend the suspect without further injury. Steve and Kono went hands-on with the infuriated Lewis as he physically resisted attempts to put him in handcuffs. Kahu persistently stayed engaged on the man's leg throughout the intense fight, the suspect inadvertently rolling on top of her at one point during the violent altercation. The SEAL's eventual 'aus' had her heavily panting in guarding posture until Rollin Lewis was forcefully removed from the room by SWAT.

"Steve…" Kono trailed off as she held up her bloodied palm in profound unease. Kahu had automatically 'platzed', chest heaving with exertion following her forced capture of the non-compliant high-risk subject. The cousin had approached the dog to lavish praise for a job well done, instantaneously noting the bloodied ribcage. "This looks like a graze, it's not very deep. She needs to be looked at by a Vet though."

"Can she get up?" Steve slumped to his knees to go over the dog himself. His anxiety continued to climb as he had not gotten an update from Chin regarding his partner. Danny would be out of his mind agonizing over his dog's well being. The single resounding shot had the entire team temporarily paralyzed in fear for the Malinois' safety.

"She's pretty exhausted. The bleeding has slowed, but it's not stopped. I don't have anything to put pressure on it. I think it would be faster just to carry her out." Kono had been gently stroking the dog's head and neck, Kahu eventually flopping over onto her uninjured side.

The dog's decisive move to a more prone position settled it, "Carry it is." Steve reached down to carefully cradle the Malinois while lifting her into his arms. Danny had made each team member repetitively practice carrying his dog in a variety of positions to ensure the dog's comfort and the team's safety. "That a girl. Let's get you out to Danno before he has heart failure shall we," the SEAL chuffed.

H50

Chin had his hands full of clearly overwrought Detective. With the help of both Officers, he had been able to hastily move Danny to a more secure location before the man became wholly responsive. Sgt. Lukela had hurriedly returned to the residence, Officer Kalakona continuing to hover uncertainly beside the pair. "Let me go, need to…" Danny implored his friend, overtly struggling against the Hawaiian's full body check against an indiscriminate residence being used as perimeter cover. The man's angst skyrocketed the more alert to their situation he became. Slamming his head repetitively backward into the shiplap siding his genuine plea to go to his teammate's aid began to suffocate Chin's resolve.

"No Danny, not yet…" Chin trailed off in desperation. He had no idea what had gone down in the house once he had gotten his teammate away from the chaos. The solitary blast had been reverberating through his mind unchecked, but he couldn't confirm the remainder of their team's safety until they had received the 'all clear', which was yet to be forthcoming. The Detective's gunshot wound also needed to be tended to, though EMT's wouldn't be allowed through the perimeter until the situation was contained. It was likely a clean through and through, but the cousin was reluctant to even tenuously advise medical care until they were able to check in with Steve and Kono. The wound continued to sluggishly bleed; producing rivulets of blood to steadily drip off the man's unfurled fingertips. "Just hold on Danny, as soon as we get the signal brah. I promise…we'll find out as soon as it's clear."

The long awaited signal finally came over the earpiece, Chin and Andy listening closely to the chatter to determine the operations status. Without warning his friend inexplicably groaned in distress, involuntarily attempting to drop to the concrete in a boneless heap before the two men could catch him. "Whoa!" Chin struggled to keep the man upright, Officer Kalakona grabbing the Detective's uninjured arm while the Hawaiian ruthlessly pinned his friend up against the side of the residence to keep him from sliding further down the wall.

"CHIN! Over here!" Kono's shouted exclamation had both uninjured men slightly pivoting in her direction as they caught sight of the scene that had caused the collapse. Steve was grim-faced and determinedly striding towards them with Kahu cautiously embraced in his arms, his hands streaked in fresh blood. It was evident, even from the SEAL's location, that Kahu's sleek coat was now matted tightly to her body from prolific bleeding. What couldn't be immediately apparent to the Detective or his teammate was that his dog was conscious and still breathing.

Danny's forehead fell inescapably forward onto his teammate's shoulder, Chin's palms pressed against the solid exterior while his forearms powerfully slid underneath his friend's armpits to hold him up. Leaning further into his friend, the cousin's steadfast support caught in his throat as his friend's emotional distress surpassed his own. "Damn it…Danny…brah, sorry…Danny, no… sorry…" Chin struggled to force out a compassionate, coherent response.

"Sick…" the Detective whispered desolately. The abrupt spike of nausea was overpowering, forcing his mind to be ripped from its ostensibly ordinary fetters and into psychedelic chaos. His body violently shuddered in reaction to the brutal alteration. Highly distorted and surreal visuals reverberated through his grieved state of awareness. Tone and dissonance clanged through his senses, keeping him exhaustively imbalanced and unsettled.

"Help me get him to the ground," Chin muttered. Andy mutely positioned himself beside the Detective and his teammate, together the two of them protectively lowering the man into a recovery position. "I need you to go get the EMT's and bring them in. We're not going to be able to get Danny to them. He's going into shock and we need to get this bleeding stopped."

"Got it." Officer Kalakona heedfully clutched the Detective's shoulder before sprinting off.

Steve lengthened his stride as he caught sight of his partner being compassionately positioned onto the ground. His unease deepened as his friend remained unresponsive to the move. "Come on Danno, what's going on with you?" Still too far away yet, Steve decidedly didn't like what he was witnessing, "Kono, go let Danny know that Kahu is going to be okay. He needs to hear that, keep telling him until I can get her there."

"On it, boss," Kono threw over her shoulder as she raced towards her teammates, unease firmly etched on her features. Moments later, she determinedly slid into place beside her fallen friend placing her hands comfortingly on either side of his face, her eyes determinedly on him, "How's he doing cuz?" Gazing up at her cousin when he didn't immediately respond, she was shocked to find grief pouring off the man's entire being. "Chin?" The Detective's cheeks had been clammy and cold to her touch, his body's undertones suggesting the first phases of shock settling in. Without waiting for the requisite reply, she endeavored to provide both men with the information they needed to hold on, "She's okay Danny…Kahu's going to be okay, Steve's got her. He's coming, brah…just a bit longer." Kono's supportive litany continued as she locked her sights on her cousin again in emphasis, "She's okay. Boss man's coming, brah." Chin virtually dissolved in gratitude once her repetitive utterances finally sank in.

Concurrent to the SEAL's arrival at his partner's side, the EMT's scurried into view with a harried Officer Kalakona at their heels. Steve cautiously placed Kahu next to the downed Detective, placing his friend's slightly quavering hand on her shoulder, his own hand lightly positioned on top. "Hey, Danno... She's here buddy. Kono's right, Kahu's going to be okay. She's good Danny." Signaling the EMT's to work around the dog upon their approaching, Steve's continuous encouragement to his friend finally began to take hold. Bleeding stopped and the Detective's escalating shock in check, his eyes fluttered in the beginning stages of recognition. Danny's fingers reflexively closed around his dog's coat, his grip only eased by the SEAL's own grasp heeding caution.

The EMT's signal they were ready to move had Steve implement his final decision, "Kono, do a quick search to find a local Veterinarian that will meet us at Wahiawa General Hospital. I don't want to separate them until Danny can understand what's going on. Have Officer Kalakona pick up the Vet if that's what it takes."

Andy piped up as soon as he heard local Vet, "Commander I know of a local Veterinarian who exclusively makes field calls. I'll take care of it and meet you at Wahiawa General. She has her own mobile unit that will have what's needed to care for Kahu. I took the liberty to use some of the EMT's supplies to stop the bleeding so as long as she stays quiet, she should be okay until the Vet gets there." Andy had calmly focused on the Detective's dog as the activity level around her handler had escalated. He was unobtrusive but thorough, a quality the team appreciated as their worry had been centered primarily on getting their friend to positively indicate a response.

Chin reached out his hand, expressing the team's appreciation as the SEAL's attention had gone back to coordinating Danny's and Kahu's move to the hospital. "Thanks for your help with Detective Williams earlier and Kahu. We appreciate it."

Andy hesitatingly nodded, uncharacteristically plowing on after seemingly making a decision to trust the Detective's team, "Look, I don't know what Danny has told you about what's been going on lately. Just…watch his back. I think Officer Hailama is gunning for him and I just don't know how far Hailama will go to get what he wants." Without waiting for a reaction, the man spun on his heels and jogged back towards his own vehicle. Chin made a mental note; the SEAL would unquestionably want to know about Kalakona's forewarning.

**~to be continued~**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Police Dog Vests (short version): There are 5 primary reasons why a Police Dog may not be equipped with a ballistic vest; Budget of the Department, weight of the vest, added restrictions in mobility, overheating issues, and the dog's socialization and acceptance of the equipment. For this story, Kahu will not be wearing a Police Dog vest due to the last reason listed. Silly girl just wouldn't work with the darn thing on! German Translations: 'kriech'/crawl. Auntof3...breathe...nice deep breaths, it's a long one! Wait, that's the next one. Well you get the idea. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 6**

Officer Kimo Hailama furiously annihilated everything within his path while patently disregarding his assigned perimeter. The man literally vibrated with malevolent rage towards the Detective he felt should be held responsible for his quandary. The seemingly accomplished 'haole had managed to jeopardize his well established microcosm of power all within a scant twenty-eight weeks. What had taken him painstaking years to develop had all but been unwittingly eradicated by one chance, inconceivable assignment by the Governor. The fact that he had been tactically allocated to a remote sector during this tactical op had him seething all the more. His preciously guarded pawn would further endanger his operation if captured and interrogated. The information Rollin Lewis could provide law enforcement would lead down a complicated, twisted path that would begin to unravel his deeply buried gun running operation. Seven months ago, the likelihood of his detection was nonexistent. He was highly cognizant of the fact that he had taken a calculated risk at the training grounds, the blatant venom directed towards the Detective evident for all the K9 Unit to scrutinize. He had all but announced his intentions to lambaste the man into the ground with his dog's actions. And he had certainly heightened his victim's attentiveness to the directed malice and likely inadvertently brought in the remaining Five-0 members as well. He grinned as his incendiary wrath flared even more at the contemplation.

Hailama snarled in annoyance at his whining canine partner. The dog keying off his handler's foul mood, quickly darted out of his foot path. The Senior K9 Officer fiercely detested the work of his unrefined German Shepherd, maliciously enticing the dog's innate prey drive without hesitation. Purposely shouldering the 2 year Kalakona out of his scheduled placement of the dog, the Senior Officer continuously edged the canine into blatant aggression so as not to draw additional attention to his plans. He needed the hostile tendencies to flourish to complete his vendetta against the Five-0 Detective. His egregious handling would end up destroying this dog's potential as a police dog, an actuality he held no unease for. Any working dog, but this dog in particular, was just a tool; a means to an end that was disposable after the task. His blatant disregard for his previous working canines had put him at odds with various K9 Officers throughout his career. Numerous changes in dog training techniques over the years placed him firmly at a disadvantage to the up and coming newer recruits. He was notorious for his rigid handling, forcing his dog's to conform to his style rather than working with each individual dog's strengths. But his most recent display of repugnance had recklessly given prominence to not only his handling techniques but his competence to work within the Unit. He growled again in frustration with his problematic situation. What was done was done. Having precariously perched himself on the abyss he was committed no matter the outcome, making him all the more dangerous as he had nothing to lose.

Chatter over his earpiece halted his nefarious contemplation. Grinding his teeth in further frustration, he implemented his next plan of attack. As a Senior K9 Officer, Hailama had access to many areas of criminality. Lewis would never make it to interrogation with Five-0. He grinned in malicious gratification as the prattle announced the all clear and clearance for EMT's advancement into the secured location to tend to one Detective…Daniel…Williams. Cautiously moving out of his assigned position, he uncaringly placed himself in direct line of sight to the inattentive Five-0 team. His disgust of the non-life threatening injuries to both handler and dog temporarily circumvented his furtive scheming. Eventually caught out of his assigned position, the SSD K9 Commander barked orders at his wayward Officer. Pedestrian containment and evidence collection, mundane tasks that allowed for further introspection. With Lewis out of the way, he would have time to legitimize his plan for Williams. Officer Kimo Hailama possessed more knowledge on the New Jersey native than any Five-0 member realized. And he intended to use it.

H50

Coordinating the short trip to the hospital was all but mind boggling to the SEAL, juggling his partner's heightened angst when the harrowing decision had been made to separate the man from his dog…again. The Detective's desperate fingers were warily peeled out of the dog's sleek coat, causing another dire utterance of, "Sick. Steve, please…Kahu?" Nodding to Kono to take the dog to his truck, the Commander blew out a halting breath to steady himself while he tossed his keys to Chin.

"Take care of him brah," the Hawaiian's quietly voiced worry spoke volumes. The teammate's hesitation to depart was founded. Danny's unrest escalated when the Malinois was withdrawn from his sights in order to transport her. Steve's placement of well worn hands on his friend's shoulders attempted to settle the man's feeble exertion and misery. "Kahu's going to be fine Danno. The Vet is going to meet us at the hospital to check her out, okay?" The Commander's bid to hearten his friend's anxiety knowingly fell flat. The SEAL felt his own temper rise in vexation at his inability to hold his struggling friend's emotions from fragmenting before his eyes.

Even with providing the utmost in care, Danny instantly spiraled back into shock when loaded into the ambulance. His body again succumbed to his prior injuries, the debilitating adrenalin dump, blood loss, severe sensory overload, and nausea. The SEAL frantically whispered nonsensical encouragement throughout the nerve-racking trip in the ambulance, utilizing his voice and touch as an added anchor to help stabilize his friend. "Come on Danno, she's going to get first-rate care buddy. Kono's still with her, Chin too. We got this covered brah; you just need to do your part." By the time the EMT's were able to improve the man's vital signs, they had arrived at Wahiawa's trauma bay. Danny was immediately whisked into the ER, the indomitable Navy SEAL unintentionally clearing a swath through the corridor with his protective presence.

True to form, Steve growled in agitation at the attending Physician, bullying his way into staying by his partner's side during his initial examination. He remained an immovable ally, tolerating the Physician's presence based solely on Danny's injuries. The Detective's clipped enunciations to the necessary prodding confirmed the overly protective Commander's argument for his mandatory existence. The New Jersey native's guttural protests savagely tore through Steve's entire being, practically causing his knees to buckle in betrayal of his own distress. Then, not unexpectedly, Danny's psychedelic overkill to stimulus finally won out, inducing torturous vomiting that left the man utterly spent and overwrought. The SEAL had his hands full, physically supporting the man's shoulders and forehead while his friend was turned onto his side to keep his airway clear. Getting the antiemetic IV loaded into his system had initially only chased after his dry heaves causing agonizingly painful abdominal muscles. Minutes seemed like hours before the medication finally settling Danny's wrecked body into a nearly comatose discomfort.

The SEAL was also the only one who could provide the Physician with a quick narration of his partner's unhealed injuries from only days prior. The Doctor's concerns amplified as his patient's sheer volume of abuse to his body exponentially mushroomed. Day's old injuries added further complications to a system that had already been overtaxed and was fighting to counterbalance extensive damage. The shock and induced vomiting made more sense as the Detective's recent medical history was revealed. After hours of dancing on the edge of a medically induced abyss, the ER staff was able to get the upper hand on stabilizing the man's shocked system.

The line was drawn to Steve's safeguarding when Danny was finally sent down to surgery for his arm. No amount of authority would accord the man the admittance he craved. The SEAL prowled the corridors, intolerant of the confining waiting room and disdainful lack of knowledge regarding his partner and dog.

Kahu had been carefully settled with Kono in the back seat of the Commander's pick-up, Chin driving directly behind the ambulance in order to arrive at Wahiawa General together. The DVM located by Officer Kalakona had met the team by the trauma bay entrance. There hadn't been room in the ambulance to allow the EMT's to work on Danny and keep the dog safe. Kono volunteered to stay with the wounded Malinois as the Vet worked on her, designating Chin as the 'runner' to provide status reports between his remaining teammates.

Chin located the SEAL tiredly leaning with his back against the wall, eyes tightly shut as his head pressed backwards into the solid surface. The man was so buried in his own thoughts he hadn't noticed his friends approach until the comforting hand landed gently on his shoulder. "How is he?"

"Surgery to stitch up the bullet wound. Clean through and through," Steve ground out. He frustratingly rubbed the heel of his hands to his tired eyes, allowing his fingers to trail up to clasp tightly behind his neck as he forced himself to breathe. Looking at the floor, then up at his friend, "I don't know if I made a good decision here or not Chin. I thought Kahu would help, I mean he's amazing with her you know? I'm just… worried about him. I don't think his body can take much more abuse. He's still pushing too hard and now with Hailama at his heels…this feels bad, brah."

Chin gripped the SEAL's shoulder, "You provided Danny with an opportunity Steve, and he took it. It was his choice to make. Kahu's good for him, you know that. We'll figure out Hailama." Sighing in resignation for bringing this up now, "We need to talk to Officer Kalakona…off duty. He told me that we need to watch Danny's back; that Hailama's gunning for him. He's worried too Steve, but I don't think he knows much more than Danny does."

"When did he talk to you?" Steve questioned in annoyance, running his hands through his hair in added chagrin. He inherently hated not knowing what Hailama was up to.

"Before we loaded up Kahu and Danny. I think Danny trusts the guy, but we should run all this by him before we talk to Kalakona," Chin discreetly offered.

Steve nodded in agreement as he tapped Chin's shoulder to indicate his cousin approaching the men. Pushing himself off the wall with his palms, he purposely strode towards Kono and her groggy cargo. The woman had opted to cradle the Malinois in her arms following the Veterinarian's use of a mild sedative to meticulously clean the graze. Kahu's system hadn't fully flushed the sedation by the time the DVM was through, so moving about produced a punch drunk stumble rather than her typically graceful gait. Intravenous fluids had also been brought on board to counter the dog's significant dehydration and overexertion. Within three hours the Veterinarian had released her into the Five-0 team's excellent care. Insistent on extracting the dog from Kono's arms, Steve led the way back to the waiting room for word on their friend. Cautiously settling himself on the floor with his long legs outstretched in front of him, he placed his back against the lone couch for support. With Kono's assistance, he then settled the sprawling Malinois onto his uncoiled legs soothingly rubbing behind her ears. The cousins settled themselves inaudibly next to him for the extended wait, each reaching out at one point to run their fingers through the dog's coat in reassurance.

Kono was the first to succumb to her restlessness, first fidgeting, and then pacing relentlessly around the inadequately sized waiting room. Chin questionably raised his brow at his cousin's outwardly demonstrative behavior, but neglected to comment as the woman completed her umpteenth lap to the corridor entrance. Upon reaching the lintel, she hurriedly signaled to her teammates indicating the approaching Physician.

Subsequently receiving an update on the Detective's good prognosis and recovery, the Physician outwardly balked at the team's move towards their friend's room with Kahu still firmly placed in the SEAL's protective embrace. The battle of allowing the Malinois into the Detective's private recovery room was tactfully averted by Chin's intervention. The Commander had been all but set on going rounds with the attending Physician for his attempt to deny the dog public access. Steve was not interested in educating the man regarding the right of entry for a police dog, willing to bulldoze over or raze right through him. His arms full of comfortably sleeping Malinois meant barreling around the gaping Physician would be the provisional peaceful compromise. Tenderly placed onto the end of the Detective's hospital bed, Kahu sprawled contentedly while Chin ran interference with the nursing staff. Danny remained contentedly oblivious to it all for several hours.

The first indicator that something in the room had changed was Kahu's abrupt shift from her fully relaxed sprawl to an attentive sphinx-like down at the end of the bed. Her intense gaze was focused fully on her handler's face, head cocked and erect ears intently forward. Steve had cued in on the dog's decisive move, unraveling from his own draped position on his chair. Fisting the bedrail with one hand, he leaned slightly forward to place his calloused fingers against his partner's forehead, "Danno, you in there buddy?" The SEAL quietly indicated the okay for the Malinois to 'kriech'. Willingly creeping further forward maneuvered her cautiously between the Detective's body and the bedrail. Her withers reaching the man's waist, Kahu gently laid her head on her handler's chest to wait. "Come on Danno, your girls getting tired of waiting for you to wake up." The cousins mildly chuffed as Kahu's uneasy rebuttal was the demanding nudge of her nose into her handler's uninjured hand lying unmoving across his chest. Signaling for Kono to locate the Physician, Steve comfortingly soothed his partner's dog, "He's okay girl, your Danno's never been bright eyed and bushy tailed after nap time. Isn't that right buddy?" Her innate temperament not typically oral in nature, the Malinois tentatively licked at her handler's fingers periodically throwing in a cold, wet nose nudge between hand and ribcage. The SEAL chuckled, assuredly massaging the anxious dog's scruff while gently rubbing soothing circles with his thumb along his friend's creased forehead.

"Ugh…dog…cooties…" the man slurred, his eyes forcefully blinking open to mere glazed slits. Fingers slowly crawling up unfurled paws to lightly scratch at her extended muzzle, his appreciative gaze fell upon his indomitable friend. "Tired…everything hurts…thanks…taking care…Kahu…" he muttered, involuntarily shuddering in his telltale misery.

"Hey, take it easy Danno, she's fine." Purposely avoiding the subject of the graze along the dog's side, Steve continued his gentle ministrations to both his teammates. "Kono went to get the Doc, just a few more pokes and prods then let's get you guys home, okay?

"Wh…e…n…" Danny's question was abruptly cut short as he ventured to shift his injured arm into a more comfortable position. Groaning in earnest, his eyes hammered shut as his breath caught in his throat.

"No brah, not happening. You aren't going home anytime soon. Steve's house, under lock and key if needed. No argument's Danny!" Chin's uncharacteristic forceful outburst had the SEAL raising his eyebrows in question. Blowing out a breath to release some of his tension, Chin placed his hand on the struggling man's shoulder for emphasis. "Look brah, we're concerned about you guys. You're right, there's more going on here with Hailama. And until we find out what that is you're staying with the crazy ninja over there. Ohana, Danny. We're not letting you forget that."

Danny's atypical stiff nod of compliance had both men swapping disheartened looks. The Detective's tightly lidded eyes prevailed, but his breathing began a steady rhythm while he fixated on the SEAL's consolatory touch. "Just as soon as the Doc says he's willing to release you Danno, we're out of here. We're on your side, we'll push if we need to okay?" Steve knew all about Danny's abhorrence for hospitals, a detestation he shared in twofold. The SEAL was also astute enough to be aware of Chin's protective streak gushing to the forefront. Kahu's admittance to his friend's room was creating tension the Hawaiian was averting with expertise. Neither man wanted the Detective to pick up on the clash between the small hospital and elite Task Force. There were enough tribulations on the team's plate; an unnecessary verbal showdown was easily avoidable by removing themselves all together. Steve would make sure his partner had entry to Queens Medical if supplementary medical treatment became unavoidable.

The Commander distractedly chuffed in amusement, observing Kahu slyly securing her position further up the bed. Sprawling comfortably so that her head rested on her handler's unmarred shoulder, she securely pushed her back delicately against his ribcage. Eyes once more glazed blue slits; Danny's arm steadily weaved between her two outstretched front legs. Gently massaging her abdomen, his fingers eventually buried themselves within her glistening coat along her sides. Chin knowingly nodded his approval to the SEAL as they waited for the attending physician to release their friend into their care.

Twelve and a half hours later, the Detective found himself tucked back into his partner's spare bedroom dead to the world. The man was beyond tapped, his stamina obliterated by the repetitive hammering to his body within the last week. Kahu once again comfortingly enswathed by her handler's feet for the duration.

**~to be continued~**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note:_ _We're both overwhelmed by such great reviews! Thank you! Yes .. Hailama is terribly malicious and more than just the usual bit of "bad news". The sad part is it's just all the beginning … and we both agree that Kahu needs to be added to the show. It was easy to fall in love with this great police dog and Danny's natural affinity with her._

**Chapter 7**

Danny's attending Physician at Wahiawa had demanded a consult with the Commander to direct his patient's recovery before he was willing to release the man. The amount of psychological stress the Five-0 Detective had been under the past year was beginning to manifest itself in his physical well being. His injuries of over a year ago had fully healed, although he would bear the physical scars of his vicious caning the remainder of his life. He had been successful in diligently building up his physical strength and endurance, focusing on stabilizing his knee and the full use of his hands. But Danny was beginning to lose weight again, his body mass index representing a deficiency for a man of his stature. The Doctor clearly stated his worry over the Detective's overwhelming exhaustion and dehydration that had contributed to his severe crash following the gunshot wound. Both symptoms a clear sign that the man was not taking proper care of himself. The Detective was unrelentingly pushing his body too hard and it was time for his 'ohana to once again intervene.

The decision was made for Danny to endure the remainder of the week under the watchful care of his teammates. Purposely mandated to four days sick leave at the Navy SEAL's home, the Detective would have argued vehemently against his friend's pronouncement had he the energy to do so. But no disagreement was forthcoming, Danny struggling to staying conscience for any extended period the first two days. Presenting a coherent sentence, let alone an objectionable rant was just not happening. The weekend with his daughter would take place undisrupted, the Task Force committed to the young girl's entertainment while her father continued to recover. Grace would arrive after school on Friday and be returned to the Edwards residence Sunday evening before dinner. Chin's recommendation that they invite Officer Kalakona over for a barbecue Saturday evening to gain his insight into their investigation into Hailama, had been accepted.

"We're all set for Friday, Danno," Steve waited good-naturedly as his partner attempted to absorb what exactly his friend was referring to. Tucked into the sofa, the Detective was slow to wake as his besieged blood stream sluggishly carried sleep and pain medication throughout his system. He stared blankly up at Steve's silhouette, entirely stumped by the pleased expression. Brow furrowed, his hand drowsily gestured as literally nothing emanated from his mouth. With a soft chuckle, the SEAL decided that his partner was taking much too long to process the words, "Grace…on Friday. I've got it handled. I'll pick her up after school." His detailed explanation finally hit home, Danny's raised hand falling limply to his chest as he gave up with an approving sigh.

"Now, dinner. Go get cleaned up. Kahu can make sure you stay out of trouble," Steve demanded, his hand thrust knowingly into his friend's personal space to offer assistance. Kahu slowly wagged her tail while her handler eased himself to life. Danny's sigh deepened to one of displeasure when he carefully peeled himself out from under the warmth of the spare blankets. Still far from hungry, his persistent enemies were unrelenting pain and a much too rapid ability to tire. He willingly accepted Steve's help to his feet, carefully aiming towards the bedroom to freshen up.

"Turncoat," he mumbled fondly as Kahu sauntered behind his hunched wake to the spare bedroom. Danny ran his finger tips over her forehead, tugging on an ear in good humor when she settled herself firmly in the doorway. Her head cocked inquisitively at each Spartan move her handler made, she inadvertently popped from her sentry position when the Detective grimaced as he shucked the worn t-shirt for a fresher version. Sideling up to him, she nosed the palm of his hand until it settled gently on her neck in reassurance, "It's okay babe, I've got this." He took a minute to examine the discolorations on his skin before tugging the material firmly down. His body needed time to heal properly, which admittedly the past week hadn't afforded him. The bite wounds were closing up nicely, no sign of infection and the sutures would be removed as his physician had anticipated. The extensive bruising to his torso and left forearm had begun to turn a sickly greenish yellow as the breakdown of the hemoglobin in the escaped red blood cells removed the decaying blood products.

"What do you think, Kahu," he asked ruefully when he struggled to straighten his back without pulling too deeply on his bruised ribs. Her enthusiastic reply was the solid thumping of her tail on the hardwood floor when he smiled approvingly in her direction. "We'll get back to work soon…promise," he stated a bit more forcibly, the last statement more for his dog's benefit. Laughing when Kahu cocked her head even more to the right at the sound of 'work', "Yep, we've got to get you back to the training field. Can't let all that beautiful talent go to waste now can we."

Investigating his more recently injured bicep, Danny frowned. He knew that additional bruising from the gunshot wound should be expected, all normal in the process of his recovery. But the left side was considered a handler's dominant side when working with their dog, so his additional injury would limit his ability to effectively communicate or handle his dog through the leash. "Looks like we'll be doing more off leash exercises babe, brushing up on our hand signals to communicate. The Neanderthal will like that, he just grunts anyway, huh," Danny knowingly chuffed. Steve would definitely have something to say about his desire to leave the house to work with his dog, especially if his intention was to go to SSD's K9 training center. His never-ending tide of nursemaids was unrelenting in their care.

Bending carefully at the waist while lost in contemplation, he tenderly ran his hands over his dog's flanks. The ridges of the long graze along her side caught on his fingertips, causing her skin to flinch slightly at his gentle touch. Eyebrows furrowing in regret, he trailed the offensive injury while his dog buried her head in trust at his waist. His fault…he could have lost her, lost another partner. Goosebumps raced up his arms, causing his body to flush in anxiety. Bowing his head as he carefully pulled her nearer to his trembling body, he slammed his eyelids closed against the flooding memories. The responsibility of safeguarding another being besides his daughter was crushing in its entirety.

No! He needed to be smarter, more careful. He just needed to train harder; she relied on him to keep her safe. He had almost failed her like he had failed Sig; he wouldn't let that happen again! Kahu's unexpected nudge of 'pay attention' jolted him back from his disturbing reverie. Impatiently wiping his damp face with his sleeve, "Maybe just a short walk later on the beach, babe," Danny softly reassured her; not only for Kahu's sake, but for his as well.

"Alright, enough of that," unconsciously shaking his head in mock amusement. "Let's get this show on the road, before the Super SEAL comes to hunt us down himself." Wandering languidly back towards the sounds in the kitchen, his fingers trailed automatically behind Kahu's ear's on the way. He found himself having to smile, the sound of her tail thumping against the hallway wall increasing in cadence. "Yeah, okay…walk it is."

In the end, it was his partner that made sure Kahu received her much needed exercise session. The Detective's body ultimately won out in its unrelenting demand for more sleep half way through the meal. Reluctantly lowering his head to the table, he cradled his forehead in the crook of his elbow. Eyes at half mast, he barely flinched when Steve placed a reassuring hand on the back of his neck to get his attention. He had gotten some sustenance into his system, but not enough to satisfy his friend's concerns. But it would have to wait, "Come on Danno, up you get." A mumbled protest of his partner's need to take care of his dog was cut short, "I got her Danny. Feed, water, relieve and yes…I'll make sure she gets a good run in to. And I know, brah," Steve chuckled, his friends parental prerogative front and center. "I'll make sure I dry her off really well and check to make sure there's no sand in her wound. I've got it, brah. Let's go partner…bed…now."

Kahu's love of all things water, kept the pair close enough to his home for the SEAL to keep watch over his friend. A solid hour of enthusiastic fetch along the hard packed sand of the shoreline had the dog contentedly satisfied. Willing to tolerate Steve's meticulous once over of her injury, she squirmed in his clutches playfully grabbing at his hands while he vigorously toweled her off. Satisfied she was thoroughly dry and would garner his partner's approval, "All right you beast, get off to your Dad before he starts to fret that we've been gone too long." Wagging happily at the release, she bounded the first two feet towards the guest room before quietly padding the rest of the way down the hall. Circling carefully on her dog bed by her handler's side, she curled into a tight ball eventually satisfied in finding the 'right' spot. As she heaved a pleasurable sigh, Danny's hand draped over the side of the bed to rest on her withers. Glancing briefly into the room, Steve chuckled in knowing his brother wouldn't have settled properly into sleep until the two had safely returned from their evening play. "Night Danno," he whispered softly. A barely perceptible wag of fingers and tail affirmed his partner's reply.

Five-0 ended up rotating shifts during the Detective's four day sick leave to allow two teammate's necessary time in the office, one to safeguard their friend. Danny understood that he required assistance initially, but he chafed at the monolithic size of their shepherding. What he was either unaware of or choosing to ignore for the time-being, was his team's diligent focus. Each Task Force member had quickly identified specific assignments regarding their further investigation into Officer Kimo Hailama's activities. Steve had immediately requested the bite incidence report from SSD, tearing into the K9 Training Commander's conclusions with disgust. It had taken Chin's recurring rationale that Five-0 lacked proof to substantiate their suspicions that ultimately prevented the SEAL from confronting the SSD Commander. Chin surreptitiously delved into the K9 Officers HPD records looking for any indicators of criminal activity. Five-0 desperately needed evidence that pointed towards a cover-up to whatever was driving the man's resentful obsession. Kono was pursuing her initial discovery of astute tampering in Danny's personnel files. Unearthing any link that could provide the team additional information of the man's intent towards their friend would be beneficial. By the end of the week, the Task Force had frustratingly come up empty.

H50

Danny's daughter had arrived at 'Casa McGarrett' Friday night compliments of the Navy SEAL himself. The three had spent a relaxing evening fixing dinner, followed soon after with mandatory popcorn for the young girl's version of a 'chick flick' marathon. Grace knew her father had been injured at work. Grateful that her Uncle Steve had talked her Mom into letting her come over; she needed her Danno's soothing comfort to reassure herself that he was okay. Quietly curled up into his side, she draped her arm gently across her father's waist making sure her tender ministrations didn't cause him further discomfort. It had been Steve who had eventually carried the sleeping girl up to her room, both father and daughter having melted into the couch cushions mid-way through the second movie. Kahu had trotted along behind the duo, settling softly beside the young girl's bed for the night.

Silently hovering in front of his worn out partner, the SEAL contemplated whether he should settle his friend on the couch or relocate him to the bedroom. Mere slits slowly opened exposing the exhaustion within the blue depths that poured over Steve in overwhelming gratitude, "Thank you for getting Grace." Danny's voice wavered as he knowingly raised his arm for assistance off the couch. Gripping his partner's forearm in return, he gently hoisted the man off the couch. Steve glanced over to his friend while cautiously guiding him into the bedroom, "You're welcome Danno. You know I'd do anything for you and Gracie. 'Ohana brother…Gracie's 'ohana too." Gently squeezing the man's shoulder in emphasis, he soundlessly watched over his friend until he was sure his partner was settled comfortably till morning.

Danny woke to the creak of the guest room door opening, the morning sunrise layering golden strands of subdued light across the bedroom floor. Kahu padded softly into the room, settling her head by his shoulder to gain his undivided attention. The Malinois' biological time clock insisted she be fed, Steve's constitutional morning swim having triggered her search for her handler. As of yesterday, the Detective had been able to manage his dog's daily care without the assistance of his teammates. He stifled a groan at the undiminished stiffness in his torso. Leveraging his lower body off the side of the mattress, bare feet firmly planted onto the warming floorboards. Giving himself a minute to gain his bearings as he sat at the edge of the bed, he chuffed at his dog's morning acrobatics. Realizing he was committed to becoming upright, Kahu repetitively bounded into the air in front of the man in expectation. Suddenly sprinting out the door into the hallway, the Detective could hear the anticipated skid for her about turn back to the bedroom door. Her perfectly executed play bow flagged a vigorously wagging tail as mischievous eyes danced at him in expectancy, "Yes, I know babe…hurry up. I'll get there…I'm coming you impatient beast." Danny's chuckle was abruptly cut short when the dull ache of his ribcage seared into intermittent stabs of pain, his abrupt departure from his stationary position duly noted. "Yep, still hurts…" he reluctantly admitted, winking at his 'girl' as he determinedly shuffled out to the kitchen to get his dog squared away.

The morning turned into a spectacular demonstration of surfing and exploration, Grace and Kahu's frolicking amongst the breakers introducing a grateful smile on the ragged Detective's face. The cousins had arrived with breakfast shortly after Danny's daughter had awoken, the young girl dragging Kono out to surf as soon as her father permitted. The pair even managed to coax Kahu in front of Kono on her board, the dog eagerly riding gentle swells into the shoreline with her. The Detective's sputter of disgust in the three 'girl's' love of the ocean had his teammate's laughter endlessly skipping across the water. Following lunch, his beloved daughter and her impeccable teacher were back at it. The Five-0 Rookie's love of the sport was infectious, Gracie's squeals of delight reaching her father and Chin on the lanai. Steve was watching the two while he repeatedly threw Kahu's bumper into the swells to retrieve. Helping Danny maintain her physical stamina while he was on light duty was instrumental to not only the dog's well being, but her handlers. The SEAL also knew his partner would be more likely to relax if there were two 'eyes' in close proximity to the young girl while she was in the water. His friend's inherent protective tendencies wouldn't allow him to let down his guard unless he knew his daughter was in trusted hands. And only his 'ohana could fulfill that requirement.

Steve got the call from Sgt. Duke Lukela early evening following Officer Kalakona's arrival. Andy had joined Chin and Danny on the lanai before the Detective had been charmed by his daughter into a short rest before dinner. Rollin Lewis had been killed in general population at Halawa Correctional Facility before Five-0 could interrogate him. Chin was the first to pick up on the SEAL's darkening shift in demeanor, "What's wrong Steve?"

"Rolling Lewis was killed, that was Duke on the phone. Damn it, we should have interrogated Lewis before he got sent to Halawa. He could have pointed us in the right direction for this gun running operation," Steve ground out in annoyance. His gut instincts about Kimo Hailama being involved somehow with Five-0's investigation roiled through his stomach continuously. With Lewis now deceased under somewhat suspect circumstances, Steve found the imprisoned man's death even more than a bit alarming. It was obvious that someone wanted the criminal permanently silenced. His contrived death could have been ordered by anyone…but what if it wasn't. Taking a chance, the SEAL decided to voice his thoughts out loud with a circumspect eye aimed in Kalakona's direction. "Look, I know we don't have anything substantial, but I think that Hailama is connected somehow to the death of Lewis and the gun running. I want us to look at that possible angle."

Steve's frustration with their lack of progress was contagious. "Yeah, well…we had more important things occupying our time at that point," Chin meaningfully countered. Willing to consider all possibilities, Chin toyed with the concept in his head. "If Hailama is connected somehow, we'll find the association. He's been with HPD a long time Steve; he knows how to cover his tracks. It may take us some time to find the link."

"You guys think Kimo Hailama is involved in the gun running circle?" As Steve fully intended, Andy had been listening in on the two men's conversation. Kalakona knew that the head of Five-0 would want to talk to him after unloading his warning to Chin. He had figured that his invite this evening had something to do with that pending conversation. "That's a pretty strong accusation to make against an Officer like Hailama. He has a lot of support within the department. And Chin's right, he's smart. He'd know how to cover his tracks and has been for a long time if what you're saying is true."

"What do you know about Hailama?" Steve's concern for his partner causing his clipped demand, but his unease about Hailama took precedence, "Why the warning about Danny?" Overpowering in the delivery of his question, Chin touched his friend's forearm in warning. Andy wasn't the bad guy here and he certainly wouldn't be use to being confronted by a solid wall of Navy SEAL in his face.

Taken aback for a moment, Andy didn't know what to say or how best to reply. "I don't know anything about the ongoing investigation you're running or Hailama's potential involvement. But it's no secret that he expected Kahu's assignment for himself…" he trailed off, abruptly interrupted by the arrival of a bleary eyed Detective.

"Back off a bit Super SEAL," Danny mumbled while he sloppily settled onto one of the lounges. Wearily eyeing the beach to make sure his daughter was still safe and sound, he sighed in resignation that this conversation would be punctuating the end of a perfectly fine day.

"Look, there's no question that Kahu's assignment to Danny wasn't a good one. At least not in my opinion. Just because Hailama had his sights set on her doesn't mean he should have been partnered with her, "Andy plowed on with a rueful smile. Pleased to see Danny there to back him up, he relaxed under the SEAL's piercing glare. "Kimo's training techniques are antiquated. He's inflexible as a handler and he's washed out more dogs than upper level officials of the department are willing to acknowledge. SSD's Training Commander has gone rounds with the man for years over his handling with no support to deny the man another dog. His current Shepherd is bordering on a purely aggressive response to the work which is dangerous. Rumor has it that he's going to be called to task about his training tactics; but I think it's too late. Besides, if Hailama catches wind that he's going to get booted off the K9 Unit, there's no telling what his reaction will be."

Danny frowned in unease at Andy's observations. As he mentally tallied up the past twenty eight weeks, he was apt to agree that Hailama had crossed the line in his dealings with Five-0…with him. His teammate's unintentional slip up in forgetting to mention Kalakona's word of caution was primarily due to their own investigations into Officer Hailama. If there was information out there that verified Hailama had upped the ante against the Task Force, Danny needed to know. They all did.

"So, Andy's right about Kimo's handling style. And he certainly had his own expectations about getting permanent placement of Kahu. My unanticipated arrival absolutely upset his apple cart, but that doesn't explain his unjustified reactions to the whole situation," Danny added as he tried to get comfortable in his chair. His unsubstantiated row with Hailama was pointedly unsettling: a violent attack meant not only to intimidate but to cause grievous injury. The Detective, as a seasoned officer himself, was well beyond any style of elevated hazing from his peers at this point.

Voicing the fact that Hailama's response was too over the top for this to only be about his hatred of a fellow officer, Chin gestured widely to demonstrate his friend's injuries. "This is more than a case of bitterness, brah. You seriously could have been killed. I also doubt this _just_ happened. You just said 'reactions' Danny, plural. There's been more than one incident, hasn't there?" Chin's anger towards his friend's injuries not having been a onetime ordeal sparked across the lanai.

Danny grimaced when Andy automatically nodded to Chin's observation. Steve's stunned glare settled on him with unrelenting pressure. "Do you have something else to tell us, Danny?" Steve ground out.

Pushed into a proverbial corner, Danny shifted uncomfortably in the lounge chair with a frown. "It's been escalating since I was teamed with the dog," he reluctantly admitted. "I thought I could handle it." With his own intuition now blaring a warning, Danny fought through his partner's annoyance and aimed his own question at Steve. "Anyway, what warning?"

All eyes turned to Andy as he trounced in on the conversation again. "I warned Chin that Officer Hailama was gunning for you and that they needed to watch your back the day that you got shot. I saw the man watching us as you were loaded into the ambulance from a distance. He had pulled off his perimeter position. He shouldn't have been there. I have no idea why he would do that," Andy falteringly tapered off, the Commander right back in his personal space after offering up that unknown tidbit of information.

"Shit, he was watching?" Steve's anger ratcheted up another notch as his gut dropped, his partner had a certifiable psychopath hot on his heels and they were no closer to making the connection to bring him down than before. "Danno…"

"No!" Danny countered immediately. "I'm coming into the office Monday as planned. Three weeks mandated light duty as ordered. It will give me time to put the information that we have into some sort of sense, help make a connection here. Anything that helps us understand why this guy is so intent on taking me down a notch…and why now."

Steve ground his jaw in irritation; this was more than just Hailama wanting to take his partner 'down a notch'. But Danny was right; they needed his assistance with figuring this out. His friend had a better read on the guy having been forced to work with him over the past eight months. They were missing something important here. "Fine."

"Fine. And you're burning our dinner Master Chef. My daughter will not be pleased if she has nothing respectable to eat after a day spent romping in the ocean with the rookie out there." Danny's familiar entry in their comfortable banter signaled an end to the troubling conversation. His focus was intently back to the beach, his daughter and Kono idly wandering up from the shore.

"It's Master Chief. And I'm a Lieutenant Commander…Lieutenant Commander, Danno…"

**~to be continued~**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Seriously THRILLED with the fantastic support for our story! The merging of two whump-aholics originally diverse stories is gaining ground now, so put your "feet" up and hang on as Hailama escalates. There are going to be some similarities to the H50 Peterson episode since IreneClaire's original chapters were revisiting certain parts of that plot line. We have to continually thank our two beta's, too. CinderH and JazzieG who worked their combined fingers to the bone dealing with two writers; merging two stories to one; helping to manage the timeline; AND keeping all the big words at least somewhat in check! Hawaiian Translations: kumakaia/traitor, kamali'i wahine/princess, lolo kanapapiki/stupid son-of-a...well, you get the idea. German Translations: 'fuss'/heel, 'ruhig'/quiet, 'platz'/down, 'bleib'/stay._

**Chapter 8**

Four days imposed penance at his partner's home quickly turned into two weeks. Not until Danny had proven to his teammates that he was capable of caring for Kahu's daily exercise requirements was he allowed to return to his humble abode. He'd been permitted Camaro privileges two days following his release from the McGarrett compound, his Neanderthal of a partner relinquishing his keys after a spectacular row. The upcoming weekend would signal the Detective's return to the training fields with his Five-0 counterparts in tow. Danny had been chafing at the bit to return to working Kahu, reluctantly compromising in his team's demands that he limit his interaction with Hailama. The SEAL was unwavering in his demand that until they could turn up more information on the man's motives for riding their friend, his partner was to exclusively train with the Task Force.

The absence of the despised Five-0 'haole within the K9 Unit found Andy Kalakona once more immersed as the inexperienced 'newbie'. Hailama's perception of the young Officer's treacherous act of siding with Five-0 intensified the senior man's hateful disposition towards the man. Placement of Kalakona's canine was still pending affording Andy's inadvertent pairing with the handler for various decoy exercises cause for repetitive condemnation. Coming off the field for a break after an arduous protection training session, the young Officer was pulled aside by the SSD Training Commander for an update on the Detective's return. Though courteously quiet in his communication, the relayed information of three more days before the 'haoles return unexpectedly pushed Hailama over the edge.

H50

Kimo Hailama whipped the end of his leash to strike out at the solitary figure to stop him, instantly in the offending man's face in confrontation as he turned. Hailama was quaking, his pupils blown wide as the adrenaline of rage raced through his system. "Haole lover aren't you little man? Lapping at the Five-0 Detective's feet hoping he'll throw you his scraps. You're disgusting Kalakona," the man's voice dropped several octaves to a guttural growl. Fisting Andy's t-shirt collar with trembling hands, he forced the younger Officer closer. Slowly unraveling for all to witness, his putrid breath washed over the other man's face, "Just keep trying to weasel your way onto the Task Force so you can be the Detective's new pet. Just keep it up. You know nothing about that piece of shit Williams…absolutely nothing!" Roughly shaking the stunned man in emphasis, Hailama utterly came unglued, "Has he told you how he screamed like his pathetic little girl Grace? Begged his big bad Navy SEAL and that dirty cop to save him when they shoved him in that sweat box? Has he told you that? Those scars on his back aren't the only marks he's going to have by the time I'm done with him. You tell him that Kalakona. And I'd watch your back if I were you. You've traveled through the kumakaia's gate, no going back now you lolo kanapapiki. You hear me? I'm not through dealing with you either…Lewis will look like child's play by the time I've finished with the two of you…" his scraping threat trailing off when the shadows of fellow Officers encroached within his deranged space. He had gone too far. Shoving the younger Officer away in repugnance, Hailama elbowed his way through the remaining K9 Officers that had been drawn to the unjustifiable razing. An agitated gesture to 'fuss' at his downed Shepherd, the man loaded up his gear and peeled out of the training grounds in a cloud of dust. A stunned silence wafted over the field.

Officer Kalakona was categorically reeling. Hailama had just unloaded information about Detective Williams that should have been locked up tightly in the man's personnel file. Andy had no idea if the knowledge the unhinged man had spewed forth was legitimate in its truth. His reference to Rollin Lewis was telling only in the context of the rest of the information, not enough to substantiate any allegations towards illegal activities. Systematically filing away the tidbits of intelligence indiscriminately thrust in his face, he inadvertently turned right into the advancing Commander nearly bowling the man over in his haste.

"What the hell just happened here?" The SSD Training Commander was angrily towering over the bewildered Kalakona. Glaring at the other four Officers hovering about, his impatient inquiry received only uncertain shrugs.

"Um…nothing sir. No idea what that was all about. I guess Officer Hailama was upset about being paired up with me for protection work," Andy lamely offered.

The SSD Commander blew out a calming breath, "Your penchant for understatement is remarkable Officer Kalakona. Just work with…"

Forcefully interrupting the man as he squared off for the potential backlash, "Sir, I have a meeting with Lieutenant Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams that I need to report to. My apologies Sir, I should have cleared it with you earlier. I'm the fifth man out here, Sir…without a dog. So I won't be interfering with anyone else's training time. Permission to report to Five-0, Sir. It's important."

Eyeing the younger Officer in consideration, the Training Commander nodded. He had been an Officer in HPD for more years than Kalakona had been an adult. There was more afoot here and it disturbingly seemed to involve more than one of his K9 Officers, "Tell Commander McGarrett that I would like to set up a meeting with him at his convenience." Abruptly barking orders to his remaining Officers, he turned on his heel. Kalakona was already sprinting to his rig before the man could turn his back fully.

H50

Kimo Hailama impatiently threw the small duffle onto the passenger seat of his truck after locking up his home for the final time. He had destroyed all information tying him to Rollin Lewis and his own gun running operations. An investigation into his criminal activity over the past several years would not locate any evidence of his intentions through a legal search of his residence. Glancing at his watch, he grimaced in agitation. His antagonistic verbal onslaught against Kalakona had cost him precious time to implement his plan. It was now or never, his timeline thrust into motion because of a stupid mistake. Taking a moment to get his anger under control, he made the call to Sacred Heart's front office regarding the transportation of one Grace Williams. It was early enough in the morning that the little girl would not be missed by her parents for several hours. There was plenty of time. The K9 Officer had forged her father's signature requesting his daughter be released early from school. The letter indicated that the Officer would be escorting the young girl to HPD due to a viable threat made against Detective Williams' family. It also stated that the Edwards family was being placed in protective custody and would be reunited with Ms. Williams at headquarters. Having changed into his HPD uniform before leaving his home, Hailama made the additional requisite calls to solidify his revenge. He smiled maliciously…perfect.

Gaining access to the private school was effortless for the overconfident Officer. Hailama engaged briefly with the Principal to confirm his intentions of re-uniting the young Williams with her father. No phone call to the Detective or Mother would be necessary. Oozing charm and a sickening capacity for deception, the K9 Officer easily deluded the remaining office staff of his motive regarding their temporary charge.

Kneeling down to the young girl's level, he offered his hand, "Hi Grace. I'm Officer Hailama, Commander McGarrett and your Dad sent me. I know you have a lot of questions, but I need you to trust me so we can get you to your family. Can you do that for me, kamali'i wahine?"

Grace refused to take his hand in greeting, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Slowly standing, he acknowledged the office Secretary with a nod and gestured the Detective's daughter towards the door to the hallway. Grace looked back hesitantly at Sacred Heart's Secretary; she didn't want to go with this man. Something was wrong, she didn't trust him. Wanting to talk to her Dad, she wet her dry lips to voice her request. But she never got that far. He touched her, her fear of the man ricocheting throughout her body until her throat closed in response. Her feet refused to listen to the screaming in her mind when the man firmly pushed her through the door to the corridors of her school.

Hailama felt the young girl stiffen when he placed his hand gently on the top of her head; leave it to a cop's kid to not blindly trust the uniform. Extending his free hand to open the door, he slid his other off her head to place firmly on her shoulder in warning. As they entered the hallway, he leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Keep walking Gracie…nice and quiet. If you want to keep your father alive and safe, you do as I say. No trouble. Your Daddy dies if you don't." He smiled in spiteful earnest, feeling the slight tremble of the young girl's response through his fingers. He didn't care if she was terrified of him, Grace Williams was a tool. Nothing more. Shoving her into the back of his patrol car next to his agitated Shepherd, he calmly zip tied her hands behind her body. Whispering sadistically in her ear to be a good girl, his smile intensified as tears streamed down the little girl's cheeks. Yes, of course she knew what a Police Dog was capable of. Calmly leaving the school grounds he activated the tracking app for the father's Camaro on his phone then thumbed in a new number. "Bring me the caps, I'll be there in two hours," he demanded. Not waiting for a reply, he tossed his phone to the passenger seat. Two more stops before making the last call.

H50

Danny had been working diligently at the smart table all morning, arriving in the office just before early sunrise. He was scheduled to be released from his imposed 'light duty' by the end of the week. The remainder of the Task Force had returned to Halawa Correctional Facility for a second time. Investigating the death of Rollin Lewis, the team was primarily focusing this visit on the interrogation of the deceased man's cell mate. The niggling in the Detective's mind just wouldn't let up, there was a connection here between Lewis and Hailama the team had missed. Smacking his forehead in frustration, he keyed in his next query.

Danny had overheard a conversation months ago between Hailama and another K9 Officer regarding Kapaa Quarry. Kimo Hailama had said that he had worked for Ameron, an international company that owned and operated Kapaa, as a young blasting engineer before entering the Police Academy. For nearly fifty years, the 416 acre windward facility had been quietly going about the noisy business of pulling 1.5 million tons of basalt and bluestone out of the quarry every year. Explosives Engineers design blasts that produce desired rock fragmentation results at low vibration levels. They specify explosive quantities and design borehole drill patterns including size, depth, and spacing. Once the holes were prepped and loaded with explosives, it would have been Hailama's job to make sure the blasting agent was detonated sequentially. This allowed space for the blasted rock to move out and away from the wall of the quarry, instead of the force shooting stones out of the face of the bench at high velocities. The Officer had been asking the older man if he still had any contacts within the 'powder crews' or management as his nephew was looking for a summer internship.

Following up on a far flung hunch, Danny pulled up ownership and employee records for Kapaa Quarry. The Senior Officer's affiliation with the Quarry was years ago, but the Detective couldn't shake the feeling that Kapaa was still important. Filtering through employee records for the past 5 years, a name finally jumped out at him…Rollin Lewis. The deceased ex-con had worked on a 'powder crew', dropping ammonium nitrate into 4-inch diameter holes that were drilled about thirty feet into the stone on a preset pattern. But Hailama and Lewis hadn't worked at the Quarry at the same time. Reducing his search to just the 'powder crew' and blasting engineers, Danny ran a query for any known relatives of Rollin Lewis that may have worked with Kimo Hailama during his time at Ameron.

Rodney Maunakea popped onto the screen in seconds; Uncle to one Rollin Lewis, half brother to Officer Kimo Hailama. Maunakea worked on the 'powder crew' that the K9 Officer had been hired as an explosives engineer for. The man had moved up through the company and was currently employed as a blasting engineer for Kapaa Quarry. Danny placed both palms on the smart table, blowing out a breath as his stomach descended to the floor with a thump. It was the connection they had missed.

H50

Five-0's doors burst outward, the wash of late morning air billowing into the open office windows as the draw from the harried Officer's pull on the glass forced a tunnel of air through the occupied space. The slamming of the frames into the walls brought Kahu to the edge of her handler's doorway, a low growl abruptly cut off by her handler's immediate "'ruhig'." Andy began speaking before he had even gotten within spitting distance to his objective, "There you are. Danny look, I have no idea what the hell is wrong with the guy but he came unhinged this morning. He was going on about some scars and a box? I didn't understand, but then he said something about Lewis. Nothing that directly links him to the man's murder but…" the K9 Officer trailed off as the Detective raised his hand in warning.

Danny's cobalt glare hardened with resolve, "Andy, stop for a second. Just slow down a minute and tell me what you're talking about."

"Yeah…sorry," forcefully releasing his breath, Kalakona started again. "Hailama went off on me this morning. He mentioned Rollin Lewis. Said the death of the con would look like 'child's play' by the time he's finished with me…said I was a traitor for siding with Five-0. Danny, the guy said…" cut off again by the Detective's abrupt gesture to his dog to 'fuss'. "Hey, wait. Danny, where are you going…shit…" back pedaling away from the Smart Table, he sprinted to catch up.

The Detective's decisive stride never wavered, three clipped syllables offering the explanation, "Kapaa Quarry." He'd left the screens open on the Smart Table in his haste, his thoughts tumbling through the information to make more connections.

"Kapaa…why Kapaa?" Andy quizzically stuttered to a halt before reaching the passenger side of the Camaro. Realizing he was going to get left behind he swiftly opened the door, emphatically sliding into place.

Kahu already loaded into the back seat, Danny was smoothly climbing into the driver's side before he answered, "What are you doing? I need you to stay here to let Steve know what's going on when they get back," the Detective grumbled.

"What? What is going on? Why are we going to Kapaa?" Firmly buckling his seat belt, Andy dared the Detective to question his determination to go.

"Fine, just sit there and be quiet a minute. I need to work through this," quickly pulling out of the parking lot of headquarters, Danny tapped his fingers in irritation on the steering wheel while he silently brooded. Eventually flipping his phone over onto his passenger's lap while he drove, "Here, be useful. Call Kapaa and ask them if Rodney Maunakea is working today. Don't talk to the guy; just ask if he's there. Then text Steve and let him know that we're going to Kapaa. Ask him to meet us there when he can. Can you do that?"

"Okay, but aren't you supposed to be on light du…"

Abruptly overridden, the Detective interrupted, "Just stop, make the call. Don't send anything else to Steve. Just what I told you." Distracted by pieces to a puzzle that wasn't quite whole, Danny waited impatiently for Kalakona to finish up with the quarry office.

"The secretary said that Mr. Maunakea isn't in the office. He went to go inspect the benches at the abandoned pit site off of Kapaa Quarry Road. They've allowed the pit to flood and he was asked to make sure the benches are stable. She gave me directions once you get into the site," Andy offered.

Approximately twenty minutes from 'Iolani Palace, the abandoned site was located across the Koolaus mountain range just West of Kailua. Tucked into a caldera behind the huge Kawainui Marsh, the narrow access road wound through vine-draped forests, over a windy summit, and around hairpin turns. The North side of Kapaa had been carved down into a series of circular 'benches' that surrounded what was once an active pit. Benches describe vertical levels of the hole. Most walls of the pit are stepped and generally dug on an angle less than vertical to minimize danger from rock falls continuing down the entire face of the slope. The steps help prevent massive whole hillside failures. The inclined section of the rock face is known as the batter, and the flat part of the step is known as the bench or berm.

Danny nodded in confirmation, "Don't need them. I know where we're going." He and Kahu were familiar with the flooded quarry, averaging a hundred some training hours in a boat with SARS Divers acting as victims of drowning accidents for open water search and recovery. When a body is submersed underwater, skin particles and gases rise to the surface allowing the scent to pool on the surface of the water. Kahu's alert on a drowned victim was to launch out of the boat and circle the scent cone, allowing divers to narrow the search for the submerged victim. One hundred and sixty-five feet deep, the fifty-five acre quarry operational pit had been excavated to depths below the water table. Using pumps to keep the quarry dry while it was active; once the pit was abandoned, the pumps were removed. The pit was then allowed to flood by the inflow of excruciatingly cold ground water. The kind of cold that takes your breath away, making your limbs scream in agony when you hit the water.

Pulling up to the graveled site just below the quarry, the two men and Kahu began their hike up to the pit. Surrounded by Norfolk Pines planted by Ameron, dirt that had been scraped away to expose raw rock was later laid back on the highest of the benched hillside to plant trees and shrubs far above the water table. "Be careful when we get to the top benches," Danny cautioned, the rock would be unstable after years of neglect. The Detective shook his head in puzzlement, "It doesn't make sense that Maunakea suddenly gets sent out here to inspect the pit's integrity. The company hasn't mined this section of the quarry for years. The benched walls don't present a safety hazard as long as no one is messing around the pit."

Reaching the edge of the southernmost edge of the pit, Andy peered over the edge, "I still don't understand what we're doing here." The winds were coming in across the quarry from the northeast, a steady breeze cooling the stifling heat of the day as the dense air was being refrigerated by the intense cold of the water.

"Get away from the edge Kalakona; did you not listen to a thing that I said earlier? And pay attention will you…" the Detective intently demanded, his intensity locked on his dog. Kahu had alerted the minute the team had hit the quarry edge. With the breeze hitting their faces, she had picked up someone's wind-borne scent carried in the steady air currents. Seeking out its origin, the point of greatest concentration, the Malinois began rebounding off the diffused scent cone further up the North edge of the quarry. Slamming to an abrupt stop, she began frantically skirting the edge of the top bench in an attempt to find a way down the side.

"Kahu, 'platz'!" Danny shouted, preventing his dog from diving over the side in her excitement for the find. Carefully approaching to look over, "Damn it…Kalakona see if you can get reception to call this in. I think we found Rodney Maunakea. Kahu, 'bleib'." Walking further north of his dog to look for access down to the second bench, his world suddenly exploded in a tumult of rapid-fire, rippling sound and vibration.

**~to be continued~**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: __Well lets see...hard drive crashed, rain coming through the ceiling because the roof is now damaged, and the Beta's said nope, that's not going to work...you should really fix that. So one problem solved out of three's not bad...right? Got the chapter fixed. We've got our priorities straight. Another fantastic save by CinderH and JazzieG! Thank you again for saving us from ourselves! _German Translation: 'ablegen'/lay down. 

**Chapter 9**

His plans had been so easy; coming to a divine fruition at an alarming pace. He had ditched his cruiser, changing into civilian clothes so as not to draw additional attention to himself. Taunting her with her devoted father's death, Grace Williams had turned to putty in his hands. Emanating a disgusting snigger at the thought that the apple never fell far from the tree, Officer Hailama slammed the roll up door closed on the teary faced young girl. Knowingly plunging her into inky blackness, he waited after engaging the lock to listen. He had threatened her not to make a sound from the oppressive unit or he would come back. His laugh rolled from his belly at the look on the terrified kid's face when he told her he knew where her precious Danno lived, gave her every intricate detail of her Dad's pathetic life. He watched in fascination when she literally pulled into herself to hide from his sadistic mocking. He was vibrating with pleasure at the power he held over her.

Wondering if the Detective would give him the same 'high', he glanced at his phone. It was almost time for his trap to be engaged and the net readied. Based on the app's he'd downloaded to track the Camaro and the other 5-0 team member's vehicles, his end game was still quietly being shielded at Five-0's headquarters. The stupid man was completely oblivious that his reason for living would likely die from dehydration and heat stroke in some disgusting storage unit…all alone. Quickly switching to the other app that was keeping track of the Task Force Commander, he smirked in wicked satisfaction. Another idiot firmly ensconced at Halawa Correctional Facility spinning his wheels. Utter perfection. Now, deal with his cretin half-brother and he could implement his final plan to get the Detective all to himself.

H50

"Kimo, why do you need these?" reluctantly handing over the blasting caps, Rodney Maunakea was uneasy. He normally had very little to do with his brother, avoided the man actually after the Officer had acquired his new police dog. The dog made him nervous. Glancing in the Shepherd's direction, the dog's low growl rumbled from his chest as they made eye contact. But he had agreed to meet his relative as requested at the abandoned pit if only to tell him that this was the last time. No more free access to blasting equipment or explosives. The stealing was getting too difficult to cover up, suspicions rising that Rodney had something to do with the thefts.

"It's not important." Looking over the equipment, Hailama eagerly placed them in his duffle. All he had left to do was place the caps in the prepped holes and he was ready to make the last call to lure the 'haole Detective to the quarry. "Who knows you're here?" Eyeing his half-brother with disgust, the Officer heavily weighed his options. Getting rid of the man would further tie up loose ends and inadvertently diminish the potential discovery of his illegal activities through his relatives. He cautiously grinned in further contemplation; he could make this look like an accident. If suspicions were already rising that Rodney was involved in the thefts as he said, it would work.

"Just the office. They know I'll be out for the day. They don't expect me back until tomorrow. Kimo, this is it, the last time I do this for you. You get that, right?" Maunakea's eyes widened in inexplicable horror when his brother gestured towards the German Shepherd in defiance. The dog eagerly launched, pinning the man to the ground when the animal's front paws landed on his chest. Inches from the man's face, the Shepherd's lips inched up ivory teeth as the rumble intensified. Rodney Maunakea never saw the hefted football sized rock aiming right for his head. Blackness descended without a sound but the sickening crack of a skull being destroyed into several pieces.

"Yep, last time brother," Hailama grinned while he relieved his deceased relative of all his personal effects for later use. Looking out over the pit, he calculatingly dragged the inanimate marionette to the weakest section of stone along the quarry's face. Heaving the limp man over the edge, his lifeless body tumbled down the vertical batter of the first bench to settle with a sickening thump. "Last time," he chuckled.

Checking his phone to confirm his target's status, Hailama inadvertently flinched. Damn it, the Detective was on the move. Quickly gesturing for his Shepherd to 'ablegen', he grabbed his duffle as he scrambled to the prepared site to set the programmable electronic detonator caps. Keeping an eye on the app, he had finished setting up his prescribed blast when he realized that the vehicle he was tracking was heading for Kapaa.  
Hailama frowned, pausing in confusion. He hadn't initiated the latter half of his plan to lure Williams. Yet without a doubt, the officer's vehicle was en route for the quarry. "My, my," Hailama purred as he sat back on his heels in a crouched position. "What are you doing, Detective? A premonition, 'haole, about your daughter? Or have you found something … interesting."

Minimizing one app to open the other, he noted the Commander's vehicle was also on the move. Almost to Five-0 headquarters, it was likely the Navy SEAL's final destination. Good, this would work nicely. For whatever reason, the partner's had separated. Cocking his head to the side in inquisition, he chuffed in satisfaction. Williams was finally alone. As long as the Commander stayed out of his way, the Detective's early arrival played directly into his hands.

Watching his phone's screen intently, his mutter of, "This is just too easy," lit up his face in venomous glee. His prey was heading right towards him. Quickly stowing what was left of his unneeded equipment, he positioned himself and his dog out of harm's way to wait.

H50

Steve pounded into the Five-0 offices in utter frustration, his two teammates following in his wake. Chucking his keys onto his desk, they slid across the surface only to land firmly on the floor. The SEAL glared at the offensive fob, "That was a complete waste of time, Chin. We're no closer to figuring out what Hailama is up to than we were two weeks ago." Bending down to pick up his keys, he threw them again at the desktop as if daring them to slide off one more time. Chin had followed the incensed Commander into his office, his own annoyance mounting at how little they had accomplished after a full morning of investigation.

Kono glanced into Danny's office while on her way to the smart table, only to find both locations completely devoid of the voluble man's presence. Glancing down at the 'sleeping' table, she caressed her fingers over the work space to bring it to life. Open files littered the screen as the Detective's last queries pinged to the surface. "Brah, what have you been up to here…" she trailed off in fascination at her friend's ability to take the most obscure seeds of information and turn them into a veritable garden of knowledge. Reading further through the smatterings of material Danny had uncovered, she frowned while she looked through the office again, "Wait…where are you Danny?" Realizing that she hadn't noticed his Camaro parked in the parking lot, she pulled up the vehicle's GPS locator. "Oh, no brah. Tell me you didn't go there alone." Sighing in resignation to the fallout of her findings, "CHIN…STEVE…"

Both men anxiously appeared by her side, leaning over her shoulder while she continued to organize Danny's network. Understanding began to blossom into suitable fear when bits of the scrambled illuminations declared Kimo Hailama's connections to Kapaa Quarry.

"How did you get this?" Chin sidled around the table selecting additional pieces to look at more closely.

"This isn't me, it was Danny," Kono's alarm radiating through her constricting vocal cords. Her fingers began to uncharacteristically tremble when she made the final link from Rollin Lewis to Kimo Hailama, "Shit."

"Hold on a minute…where is Danny?" Steve's demand came hard on the heels of Kono's surprising expletive, "Where's Danny, Kono?" The SEAL's burgeoning rage was capped when he realized their rookie's response was one of fear, not anger.

"He's at Kapaa Quarry. Boss look, he made the connection. He must have gone there to talk to Rodney Maunakea," she softly offered.

Digging into his pocket, the SEAL impatiently swiped his phone. Realizing he had placed it on silent while at the prison, he glared at the single text message from his partner, "He took Officer Kalakona and Kahu with him. Andy signed the text before he sent it. I'm going to kill the man for letting Danny go out there when he's supposed to be on light duty. And why in the hell was Kalakona at Five-0 to begin with?" Frowning when his partner's phone went straight to voicemail, "Gear up, let's get out there. Danny's not answering. Kono find out what Andy's cell number is and try calling him. Chin, see if HPD knows where Hailama is right now. I don't want Danny out poking around without us." Three harried minutes later they were heading to the quarry to find their wayward teammate.

"Andy's not answering either. I tried Danny again. Steve, both phones are going straight to voicemail," Kono's flaring unease filled the cab of the Silverado.

"Yeah, I know Kono. We're almost there. Call the Quarry to see if Danny contacted them and if Maunakea is working today. Let them know we need to talk to him," Steve ground out.

"HPD doesn't know where he is Steve. The SSD Commander said that there was an incident between Hailama and Kalakona at the training fields this morning. The man's been out of contact since," Chin revoltingly stated.

"Crap! Anything Kono?" Steve accelerated through the hairpin turns; they needed to already be there.

Raising her hand to hold him off for a second, she concentrated on the information Kappa's office was handing over. Vibrating with worry, she ended the call, "Andy spoke with the office earlier to ask the same questions Boss. Maunakea is supposed to be working at the abandoned pit at the north end of the quarry. They aren't expecting him back into the office until tomorrow."

"Okay, got it. That's the site that we went to with Danny for Kahu's water training right?" Steve confirmed.

"Yeah, that's the one," Chin acknowledged. Hesitating slightly, "Steve, did you notice Hailama's job title when he worked for Kapaa?"

Nodding slowly, "Yeah, I caught that too."

"You don't think Hailama's here, do you Steve?" Kono's inquiry was laced with fury that their friend may be in more danger than just the fact he was on 'light duty'.

"I don't know. Let's just find these guys before they get themselves into…there…over there. That's Danny's Camaro," Steve hastily parked next to his partner's vehicle, frantically attempting to get a read on whether it had been tampered with.

Hurriedly piling out of the truck, all three inadvertently ducked when sequential blasts rapidly echoed around the caldera.

**~to be continued~**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: So, hard drive and laptop went to visit the electronic recycling center. The roof...it's still raining...indoors. TheDogo is getting IreneClaire's e-mail responses to story questions 12-24 hours AFTER she's sent them...it's official, her server hates me. And our brilliant and oh so patient Beta's are still putting up with us! Thank goodness. German Translation: 'gut'/good. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 10**

Verbal communication wasn't necessary when the three fully outfitted Five-0 Task Force members began sprinting up the designated track towards the pit. They had barely gained their footing when they moved in unison towards the still reverberating blast. Steve was the first to reach the crest above the water filled quarry. Just north of the exiting trailhead, the westward crescent indentation of forcibly removed rock scarred the benched hillside, sticking out like a sore thumb from the lush replanted landscaping. The SEAL picked his way carefully towards the damaged bench, small scree disturbances still sliding down the vertical batter to plop forcibly into the water below. Peering cautiously over the edge, Steve groaned in apprehension, "Shit." Kahu was swimming towards the edge of the frigid pit waters with Andy Kalakona sluggishly in tow. Looking further up the destroyed bench towards the lapping boundary, there was no sign of Danny. His teammates practically slamming into the SEAL's back in their haste to break their momentum, he rattled off demands before they could take in the situation, "Kono call EMS, then the Quarry office. Tell them we have a cold water rescue in progress. See if the office has any rescue gear or supplies that they can get out here faster than the arrival time of EMS. Chin, we need to find a way down there. They've both been in that water far too long."

Kahu had reached the stony edge, letting go of Andy's collar as she vigorously shook the water from her coat. Still trembling from the cold, she stumbled over the softball sized debris field littering the shoreline. Dropping momentarily from the exertion of added weight in her swim ashore, she cocked her head inquisitively when focusing on the familiar victim she had brought with her. Andy's hands were lethargically seizing purchase on inert gravel, attempting to further wrench his upper body slowly up the embankment to settle in the blazing sun. Legs still partially dangling in the bitingly cold water, he shook violently as his body temperature continued to drop. He weakly coughed as his respiratory responses to his skin cooling overrode both his conscious and other autonomic respiratory controls. Slowly getting to her feet, Kahu meticulously made her way back to the man to re-grip on his clothing. Tugging methodically backwards until his legs cleared the water's edge, she gingerly dropped to her belly. Panting heavily with her head resting on his shoulder, she closed her eyes with a long gratified sigh.

The intricately designed blast had been fashioned to slowly plunge the weakened slab of bench into the chilly waters. A solid hit to the head from the flying debris field, Andy had barely maintained consciousness as he and Kahu had been violently thrown clear of the benched slope. Hitting the water forcefully, the impact and freezing temperatures elicited a powerful 'cold shock' response in the Officer's body. His initial gasp from the unexpected immersion produced the reflexive aspiration of cold water into his lungs. Having had hundreds of hours of cold water training hadn't prepared him for the abrupt jolt to his system. What he was able to recognize was the instinctual tug to his clothing as Kahu methodically eased him back to shore. His body was rapidly restricting unnecessary blood flow to his extremities, causing the accelerated loss of control of his bodily functions needed for swimming. But he had done the best he could to ease the dog's burden. Eyes slammed closed for protection, he couldn't feel the radiating heat of the sun within the confines of the pit once they reached shore. He was too cold. His muscles, aching with rigid stiffness, were effectively covering any additional injuries to his badly battered body. Slowly opening his eyes to confirm his orientation to the world, his lidded gaze revealed nothing but murky blackness. Too tired to fully register what that meant, he drifted off to the gentle comfort of Kahu's head against his shoulder.

Kono heaved a sigh of relief when both victims finally reached shore, "Steve, I can't get through to EMS or Kapaa. I'm not getting a signal up here. I'm going to head back to the trailhead to see if I can get any reception." Taking one last look into the pit, she whispered to no one in particular, "Where are you Brah?" Kono's harried question bespoke all three teammates alarm in not spotting their friend immediately. A sudden intake of breath had Kono grabbing her cousin's arm in fright, "Chin, he's not in the water is he? Kahu would be alerting on him if he was, wouldn't she? She got Andy out."

"I don't know Kono. But yeah, I think she would," Chin's soft encouragement was accompanied by a gentle squeeze to her shoulder. He nodded towards the trailhead, calmly reminding her to focus on getting assistance.

"Kono, keep trying. Head all the way back to the vehicles if you have to," Steve distractedly demanded before beginning to work his way around the unstable bench. Chin carefully following directly behind him, she turned back to head towards the entrance to the trail. The two men guardedly picked their way to the other side of the crumbled slope. Looking for another way down into the pit, they kept an eye out for their missing friend while trying to find access to the bottom.

"Steve, wait," Chin's resolute command forced the SEAL to spin around in question. Reaching into the undisturbed vegetation of the setback, his friend pulled out a small duffle. Swiftly zipping it open, Chin filtered through the remains until he removed the discarded SSD K9 Police Officer badge and a cell phone jammer. Thumbing off the offensive device, he threw the duffle disgustedly to the ground. "Kono!" Waving the recognizable object above his head so she could see, he signaled that she should be able to get through now. "This is Hailama's doing," he forced through his tightly clenched jaw.

"Then where's Danny?" Steve exasperatedly questioned. "If Hailama truly got him, he may be in the water Chin, just like Andy and Kahu. Danny wouldn't have wandered away from his dog, not willingly."

Looking further around the trampled ground, the Hawaiian native quickly picked up on the amount of broken vegetation and scuffed earth leading back towards the trailhead that had nothing to do with the blast. "Steve, look at this. There's enough disturbance here for two men and these aren't Kahu's paw prints. They seem bigger to me." Hesitating slightly, "You think maybe he has Danny?" he offered, desperately hoping that their friend wasn't buried somewhere amongst the debris field or in the water.

Rapidly making his decision, Steve rumbled out, "Keep looking for a way to get down there brah. Have Kono help you. I'm going to backtrack towards the trailhead and see if Hailama is heading back towards the vehicles. It's the fastest way out of here. You're right, this was his doing. If he does have Danny, we can't let him get out of this quarry."

"Be careful, brah," Chin reassuringly squeezed the SEAL's forearm for emphasis. Momentarily making sure Steve scuttled his way safely back across the damaged bench, Chin turned to his cousin.

Kono had quickly navigated the unstable rock after contacting EMS and Kapaa. Hearing the tail-end of her boss's demands, she was already well immersed in judging the best place to begin their slow scramble down. "If we swing wide to the left, we can skirt most of the loose ground," she pointed out. "It'll be a bit tricky initially, but once we get to the undamaged section it should go fairly quickly." She briefly glanced at her cousin for confirmation of her plan of attack. Chin nodding in agreement, "Yeah, cuz, I think that route is our best shot."

Following Kono's light-footed lead was a testimony of their determination. Dangerously sliding along a densely scree filled slope sent small waves of sharp stone rippling down the steep grade. The clatter of falling rubble echoed around the walls of the quarry as they descended. Finally reaching the bottom of the pit, the cousins rapidly picked their way across the remaining debris field towards their teammate's dog and Officer Kalakona.

"Kahu, such a 'gut' girl," Kono breathlessly greeted the exhausted Malinois when she raised her head from her charge's shoulder. Tail thumping enthusiastically for a job well done, the dog rejuvenated under the rookie's praise and gentle caresses. Kono knelt to check her eager devotee, moving on to the unconscious Officer by her side when she was satisfied Danny's 'girl' was no worse for wear.

Chin had arrived as well, studying the water with an urgent sense of concern while he half-listened to his cousin's recitation. "She seems okay," Kono sighed in relief after her quick once-over. "Andy's not looking too good though, cuz. He definitely got nailed with debris from the blast. He has a nasty head wound here and god knows what else after that fall." Looking up at her silent cousin, she followed his gaze out over the water. "He's not there Chin, he's not. He can't be…" her softly voiced appeal causing shiver's to inadvertently run up the man's spine.

With one final look at the unrevealing water, Chin dropped carefully to his knees next to their newest friend. His worried expression increased as he examined Andy's damaged body. "We need to guide EMS in; at least from here it's a straight egress. Kono, see if you can get EMS back on the line. Find out what direction they came from. Have them coordinate with Kapaa to get a vehicle in here. Otherwise they're going to have to repel down to get Andy out." Blowing out a breath of intense apprehension, he murmured, "Damn it Steve, you better be okay and have Danny with you." Glancing over to his cousin, tears were now freely rolling down her cheeks while she monitored Andy's vitals, unconsciously running her free hand over Kahu's damp coat. "We'll find him Kono. Look, I'm sorry…we'll find him," Chin reassured her. She nodded, furiously wiping away streaks of damp rock dust from her face.

Kahu had cued off the angst radiating from the woman, getting up from her relaxed recline to demand more attention. As she shifted positions, the gentle gusts of air swirling around the pit, altered their direction. The breeze now blowing directly towards the team caught the Malinois' attention, a familiar scent skirting around the banks of the water. Her immediate change in body language and methodical move towards the wafting scent was telling. Both cousins caught the change immediately. Kono hesitantly stood, causing an even stronger reaction from the dog to proceed. "She's got something. Chin, what if it's Danny?" Kono anxiously whispered.

Agreeing, Chin gestured to his cousin for emphasis, "Follow her, Kono. You've worked with her more. Danny could still be okay even if he's down here somewhere. I'll stay with Andy; go see what Kahu turns up."

Gently encouraging Kahu to ensue when the dog glanced back to check, Kono ended up following her at a staggered jog. The fallen debris littering the flats prevented the woman's usual smooth gait as treacherous ankle twisters popped up everywhere. The rookies only respite was the occasional pause in the dogs studied examination of the scent provided to her on the wind. Kahu's initial excited attempt to skirt up the unstable slide upon locating her find brought tumbling scree and dog back to the bottom of the pit. Shaking off the barely controlled exit off the slope, she slowly downed while her tail wagged wildly upon Kono's approach. "'Gut' girl, Kahu...'gut' girl," Kono distractedly praised, her heart lurching in her chest when she identified splayed legs half buried within the damaged slope. Squinting in concentration, she released her breath in a whoosh of relief, "Not Danny, that's not him. God, Kahu…'gut' girl. That's not him." Chuckling in a manic release as she thumbed her cousin's cell, "It's not him."

**~to be continued~**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer**: Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Healing thoughts out to IreneClaire for her doctor's appointment today! And KomodoQueen...ROFLOL! Please thank your husband for joining this crazy ride! And thanks again to everyone for hanging in there with us! German Translations: 'fass'/attack or take it, 'aus'/out. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 11 **

He felt punch drunk, dumbfounded by his inability to figure out which way was up. Instinct bellowing at him to maneuver…somewhere…move, something. Up on his elbows, then knees before he involuntarily flopped back onto the gravel with a grunt. Try again, the screaming in his mind louder this time…more persistent. Palms flattened by the pressure of his upper body, knees protesting the sharpened rocks digging into his skin. Danny shook his head to get rid of the incessant ringing that couldn't quite drown out the blaring voice telling him to…"move…get up!" He knew that voice. He twitched in protest as a cold nose accompanied a small burst of air across his face demanding his attention even more. Impulsively he reached up to find a shoulder; the rumble of a low steady growl felt only through his fingertips demanding he remove them. Okay, not Kahu. Then the distinctive press of cold steel against his neck, a slight shove for emphasis. He hurriedly blinked to clear the silhouettes into focus while he struggled to sit back on his heels. His grunt of pain as a hand to the back of his head grasped a handful of hair, forcing him unsteadily upright before thrusting him forward. He stumbled, prodded again before he could hit the uneven ground. "Get moving, 'haole," Kimo Hailama snarled in disgust.

Danny's perception's lumbered through his misfiring synapses at the same rate as his body stumbled through the thick overgrowth of vegetation. Vines continually grabbed at his ankles sending his upper body lurching forward, only his hands keeping him from face planting at each misstep. His brain registered Hailama's Shepherd forging slightly ahead of him, the Officer's constant nudge when his body refused to keep pace. Another unperceivable misstep and the side of his face was thrust into the hard packed ground, an unrelenting hand keeping his head firmly in place. Knees on each side of his ribcage alerted him to the man straddling him mid-back while a warning caressed his ear, "Quiet…one sound, one move and I kill your partner. You understand 'haole? He's dead before he hits the ground." He unconsciously squirmed in protest before the hiss of anger and another dig of cold steel forced his body to still under rigid protest. Misty blue eyes frantically searching for the SEAL, he saw the massive blur before he registered the quiet command.

H50

Hailama eagerly waited for the Navy SEAL to round the last trail's bend before sending his dog. He had herded the Detective off of the well defined path after leaving the quarry pit, bushwhacking their way back towards the 'haole's pristine Camaro. He quivered in delight at the timing of the man's appearance, the Commander's sole focus clearly on reaching the parked vehicles as he sprinted down the path. The Officer's tactical advantage over the highly trained Commander was faultless in design although unexpected. One more bend and the head of the Task Force was in perfect position for the take down. Fervently leaning over the pinned Detective's back in sadistic pleasure, he gamely whispered, "Fass."

H50

Danny inwardly groaned as his mind pulled together who Hailama was gunning for…Steve. The unhinged Officer had just sent his dog after his partner, his best friend. Urging his body to jerk in an attempt to unseat the man, a violent tug on the hair towards the back of his head was the answer to his troubles. His neck craned back at an awkward angle, another breath whispered into his ear, "Keep it up Detective, and you'll never see that beautiful little girl's face again."

Hailama grabbed the Detective's collar, brutally hauling him to his feet while the Shepherd engaged in his attack. The K9 Officer never looked back; there would be no 'aus' this time for the dog or the Commander. Only one of the two combatants would likely survive the assault and frankly, he couldn't care less which one that might be. If he got lucky, both would go down.

Danny's mind crashed through the residual thumps of the resounding blast into a blinding awareness…Grace? Wait…Grace? What did his daughter have to do with this? Yanked to his feet, his scrambled thoughts fought back into further clarity. Adrenaline barreled through his body to clear the cobwebs from his brain. "Grace?" he whispered in confusion. The malevolent chuckle from behind his back had him bristle in challenge. Spinning away from the firm grasp at his neck when another shove from behind brought them to the driver's side of the Camaro, his face met the cold end of a gun. Pushed up against the vehicle, Danny's back pressed firmly into the vehicle's window, Hailama practically crowed in triumph, "Get in Detective! If you want to see your sniveling little brat again, get in. Cause me any trouble and she's dead…just…like…that." Giving the father a few seconds to digest his meaning the Officer pulled the stunned man off the car and opened the door. He grinned in earnest as he shoved the now truly struggling 'haole into the driver's seat, cuffing his captured wrist to the steering wheel. Sliding into the passenger side he pressed the steel barrel firmly to the Detective's temple, "Drive."

H50

Steve aggressively clambered back to the trailhead, briefly looking back at the two cousin's initial descent into the pit. Hitting the downward slope at a sprint, he careened through the blind switchbacks in his haste to reach the vehicles. His mind firmly entrenched in suffocating apprehension for his partner; he missed the ninety pound flying projectile until the Shepherd's impact announced his arrival. The dog seemed to explode out of his rigid training restraints, leaving a trail of spittle as the two tumbled in an entangled heap of limbs onto the dirt. Steve briefly fumbled his stunned recovery to standing as the frenzied dog gained purchase faster. Reaching for his firearm, the dog's rear tensed, muscles cutting through his glistening coat as the dog tore back into his target. Wrapped around the SEAL in a tightly coiled ball, the dog's rear nails raked down the man's quads tumbling them back onto their sides. Hitting the ground hard, the combatant's splayed like the splatter of an overturned pie. The Commander's weapon flew underneath the dense vegetation at the edge of the path. They rolled, limbs occasionally flailing as slashes of movement were starkly outlined in the glare of the filtering sunlight through the Norfolk Pines overhead. All Steve could register was the commotion of claws and teeth when his feet finally found purchase to push closer to his weapon. The narrow trail burst forth with muffled grunts, the snarls of a rampant police dog re-engaging his downed victim with a ferocious onslaught whipped through the undergrowth. The SEAL's close quarter hand-to-hand combat training kicked in as the dog's canines ripped savagely at his loose clothing rather than flesh. Steve twisted his trunk around to swivel onto his back, his legs churning through the dirt as the two thrashed in terrible unison. They lurched across the path to the discordant music of the surrounding chaos until his finger's brushed the cold steel of his gun. Scrambling for purchase, he fisted his weapon leaving himself wide open for jaws to grind downward into his forearm. Bellowing in frustration, he slammed the muzzle of his gun into the dog's chest. Repetitively hammering the trigger, the slide locked in its open position, emptied. Silence enveloped the surrounding forest like a blanket.

Disgustingly shoving the limp body of the German Shepherd off his chest, the SEAL scrambled backwards until his back collided with the trunk of a tree. Blood cascaded down Steve's forearm, his torso covered in splatter. He was trembling from the adrenaline rush, frantically trying to organize his thoughts. Glaring at his opponent, reality slammed through his system…Danno. Using the tree for assistance, he jerked forward back towards the vehicles. Having no idea how much time had passed, he was stunned to an abrupt halt as he burst out from the trailhead. EMS and Kapaa rigs were skidding to a stop by his truck, people spilling out of open doors like ants evading a flood. Howling in rage at the sight before him, Steve spun in place as his fingers raked through his hair. Danny's Camaro was gone.

**~to be continued~**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer**: Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Good news from the Doc means good things happen to those who wait...patiently...and send amazing soliloquy's as reviews! And so our readers don't revolt because of another abbreviated chapter. And an apology to our amazing Beta's for messing with it **again** and not giving you the time to look at it...**again**! All mistakes are mine, ours...not theirs. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 12**

He never saw it coming and yet, he should have. But he hadn't envisioned any signs of this day actually dawning. Not once. Not ever in his lifetime. Steadfast in his ethical integrity, Danny questioned if he were simply, entirely, and incredibly just…well…naïve.

Handcuffed to the steering wheel of his own car, Danny couldn't wrap his brain around the potential depths of Kimo Hailama's blazing hatred. The K9 Officer's necessity for revenge had escalated, the man now gunning for the New Jersey native and his fractured family. Sure, he had made enemies in Hawaii having moved onto the Governor's Task Force ahead of many HPD Officers who had been a part of the Department longer. Then there had been the SSD Commander's intentional assignment of Kahu to Five-0, the Detective becoming the Malinois' new handler. The betrayal of that lone placement had inadvertently placed the blond Task Force member within the Senior Canine Officer's sights, the perceived betrayal initially running notoriously deep within the department.

As time went on, Hailama's obsession with destroying the Detective built into a primal urge. The compulsion embodied not only the end of the man's Five-0 and K9 career, but the total destruction of his flawed and befuddled family unit. The man craved all things stamped by Williams' touch to be eradicated from the face of the earth…including his daughter, Grace.

Danny had been directed to drive purposefully towards the wharf for twenty straight minutes. It had barely given the father adequate time to shake off the lingering effects of the blast as he struggled to keep the Camaro on the road. But he was far from overcoming the new shock lobbed so rudely in his direction. Hailama had Grace.

"Stop here," Hailama growled out while gesturing towards a deserted overlook. Complying haltingly, Danny's only option was to follow the man's directions.

"Kimo." Rubbing the space between his eyes with the palm of his free hand, Danny felt physically ill. "Why are you doing this? And why would you involve my daughter?"

"Shut up." The Officer was getting a great deal of satisfaction in what he'd accomplished thus far. Glancing over his shoulder from the direction they had come, he grinned happily. His dog...the tool he had manipulated into the ideal weapon...had either torn the Commander apart bit by bit or had been killed by this point. In the long run, whether the animal lived or died didn't actually matter. His ultimate plans had clicked together with a smooth perfection. Even with Williams' little pet Kalakona unexpectedly tagging along, he had orchestrated the perfect storm.

The Detective shook his head in utter befuddlement. His beloved daughter had practically been unknown to the K9 officer. Grace had only been in the man's sights the few times she had accompanied her father and Five-0 to the training fields to work Kahu. Hailama's vengeful compulsion to explicitly wound him through her was simply too much for the distressed father to comprehend. He yanked lamely against the overly constrictive handcuffs, near to tears and only barely staying in emotional control. Danny was vacillating between his professional training and his parental requisite to protect his daughter…because already he'd been too late.

"Where is she, Kimo? You've got me and I'll do whatever you want," Danny's impassioned plea falling on deaf ears. "Just tell me or make one call to someone. To anyone...just one call." The emboldened K9 Officer could undertake whatever egregious act he wanted against the Detective. Danny could hold his own under the man's heinous intent, hardwired to carry out whatever desperate action it would take to protect his cherished Grace. Somehow Hailama knew all about the ardent affinity the man held towards his child, intentionally thriving on the deep emotional pain he was inflicting on the younger man.

But better him…than Grace.

Knowing his heartfelt appeals were unsuccessful, he devotedly tried again, "Kimo, she's just a kid." The Senior Officer's instantaneous riposte clamored throughout Danny's nerve endings, his unprotected head exploding in pain. He involuntarily groaned as the unexpected shock of being suddenly smashed against the Camaro's door frame overwhelmed him.

"Do you think I care?" One blow became a rapid succession of several. Danny desperately tried to escape the vicious onslaught when Hailama's verbal anger finally became physical, the father protectively melting into the side upholstery while the officer's anger escalated into a corporal assault. Unquestionably, the man's psychotic break had occurred during the last several months. The long-term festering during which the K9 handler plotted then re-plotted his revenge was fueling his intricately and perfectly timed vendetta. The Detective felt the alarming shift as Hailama rose to his knees from the passenger seat. Using his sufficient weight behind each well delivered punch, he punctuated through gritted teeth, "Do you? Do you…think...that I...care, Detective?"

In a deranged way, Hailama's twisted psyche immensely cared about the 'haole's daughter, because Grace was enduringly tied to Danny. She represented another manipulative tool that he could utilize to bring every tiny shred of the pathetically devoted father's life into an abyss of nothingness. He had started with the precious little girl because she highlighted his savagely uncomplicated grand design, moving on then to the man's sophisticated ex-wife, Rachel, and her wealthy new husband. Danny stupidly still loved the woman, his heart wrenched voice mail proof of his undeniable devotion to his splintered family and the son that was never meant to be. Hailama had been thorough in his destructive intent, pilfering the Detective's personnel file while using all of his resources to tap into the man's private life.

"First they are going to hate you. Then you are going to lose it all," Hailama promised softly. The smirk that easily settled across his chapped lips was one of malicious intent as he considered his original plans. He would obliterate every defining piece of the Detective's deplorable life and then decisively leave the wrecked man as he'd been left...with nothing. Willingly abandoning Danny to die a slow insufferable death with only that agony left to him made the man chuff in perverse pleasure.

"Your partner should be dead right about now. Kalakona too, as well as that damned Malinois. She was meant to be mine Williams…mine until you showed up with your self-righteous full immunity and means to do whatever the hell you want!" Hailama was nearly frothing at the mouth in fury as he pummeled the helpless man.

The Detective's knees slammed into the bottom of the steering column as he desperately twisted and turned to escape the onslaught. His frantic struggles were useless though as each hammering fist found a mark. He was frozen in debilitating pain, unaware that Hailama had eventually run out of steam. The man's voice eventually hummed through the ringing in his ears and his own agonized moans.

"Look what you made me do, Detective." The K9 officer was breathing hard as his devouring fit of blind rage finally began to lessen. Sweating and genuinely tired, he regretfully unclenched his fists while massaging his bruised knuckles. Ultimately positioning his victim exactly where he wanted him following his exhaustive months of plotting was almost more than the man could manage. His intention to gradually increase the Detective's suffering was forcing him to control his desire to extract his own form of street justice. Making sure he avoided the undoing of his premeditated revenge would provide the lingering pleasure and satisfaction he craved.

"Get up!" He hissed angrily, haughtily smoothing his hair and then the front of his shirt. Danny had remained rocked up against the side of the Camaro in a reflexive huddle, the last viciously thrown punch cracking his exposed cheekbone. The right side of his face had taken the full brunt of each and every hate-filled blow.

"Come on, Detective. You're tougher than a few slaps...shake it off. I need you to drive." What Danny's badly battered system required was time to recover. Ragged breaths prevented his blurry vision from focusing on the mundane silver handle that would provide an escape were he not handcuffed to the steering wheel. The entire right side of his head and neck were throbbing in tempo to a stunned, accelerated heartbeat. He could feel the deep bruising settling in around his pulsating skull as the swelling formed almost immediately. The stiffening ache radiated into his cheekbone causing unwelcome tears to streak down his face.

"Yep," Danny coughed roughly, involuntarily wincing as he repeatedly spat blood from his torn lips. His right wrist still securely cuffed, he used his left to weakly dab at his mouth smearing tiny rivulets of red across the back of his trembling hand.

"Now," Hailama growled in warning. Arrogantly settling back into the passenger seat, the aim and emphatic snick of his gun substantiated the demand.

Without looking, Danny intuitively knew the K9 Officer was wickedly smiling as the man absorbed the Detective's plight with tremendous satisfaction. His captor would expect the remaining Five-0 members to be searching for him, despite the fact that he was designedly taken off the grid. Hailama had disconnected the GPS device in the trunk of the Camaro to throw the team off track. The Officer was right about Steve and the violence that his own Shepherd would have attacked with. Andy was likely dead, as was Kahu. The possibility that no one would be coming at all hit him in the chest with the force of a freight train.

Danny also didn't doubt that the man would willingly shoot him, whether it was now or decisively later. He was boldly escalating and seemingly willing to kill at any provocation. The soon to be felon had nothing to lose, the intentional murder of a fellow police officer representing the ultimate payback.

But now he wanted Danny to move, "Shake it off, pal. Start the car. We have a special errand to run. I'll tell you on the way." The unspoken threat reeked of danger, the man's voice inadvertently lowering an octave as the directive was delivered. The bedraggled father scrambled to coordinate his actions, the terrifying thought that his beautiful daughter would be dying alone, possibly never to be found, thrust him into jagged motion.

Danny outwardly flinched as the muzzle of the gun was pressed tightly into the side of his badly damaged cheek. "Start the car." The Detective's left hand violently shook while he blindly groped for the key hanging from the ignition. His mind was left reeling with the fates of Steve, Andy and Kahu. But he was driven by the intensely growing terror for Grace which left the dedicated father no choice.

Danny thumbed the Camaro on, tensely waiting for his next set of instructions.

**~to be continued~**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer**: Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Enjoy!_

**Chapter 13**

The call to lure Stan Edwards to the working docks of the wharf left Danny mentally faltering from shock. He aimlessly wiped at the remaining trickle of blood from his lips, considering how cruelly trapped he was in Hailama's destructive web. His hands refused to quiet as they drove closer to the shipping yards, part of his brain short-circuiting. The commercial real estate developer had been at work when Grace had gone missing. In the amount of time it had taken the K9 officer to implement his vicious plan, no one yet knew that the little girl or her father had been kidnapped.

The corrupt officer's scheme to bring the Edwards family inevitably to their knees along with the Five-0 Detective was bewildering in its complexity and utterly heinous in its intent. Shaking his thoughts into a more cautious framework, he warily parked the Camaro where indicated. The tally against the Detective's 'ohana was noticeably growing in the struggling man's wake. The moments that Danny thought he might have room or an angle to fight back, Hailama pounced again.

"Jail?" Noticeably amused, Hailama raised his eyebrows. The Detective had persisted in his vain attempt to talk the man down, the officer laughing as Danny's last words died on his lips. "Duress?" Virtually spitting it all back into Danny's face, "I don't want you to go to jail, Williams. I have bigger and better plans for you. You're going to shoot Mr. Stanley Edwards center mass. You'll kill him in a public venue, here…today. Or…Grace definitely dies."

The man clearly had no desire to keep the adored little girl alive. Knowing that the impassioned father's fear motivated his desire to dangerously hang on to any shred of hope was all part of the plan. "You'll kill him, place the gun on the ground, and return to this vehicle. If you try anything, I'll kill you now and then finish off your kid…myself. No one will ever find her body."

Hailama narrowed his eyes in satisfaction as Danny markedly paled. Swallowing hard against his dry throat, the Detective hesitantly nodded his head in acknowledgement. Sweat dampened his forehead while the bruises along his face began to redden; an indication of the marring the man had endured thus far. Moisture stained his blood spattered shirt as the emotional strain increased; the father was duly unnerved and the K9 Unit Officer remained utterly in control.

From the passenger seat of the commandeered Camaro, Hailama meticulously watched the graphic scene unfold in broad daylight. Danny's call had lured his victim to an adjacent shipping yard that was well within sight of the bustling loading ramps. Following the sound of a single shot, Stan Edwards crumpled to the concrete, silent and unmoving. Shocked dock workers gaped in stunned horror as the shooter falteringly unloaded additional shots into the downed man before the gun dropped limply from his fingers. Hailama keenly noted that the 'haole was shuddering fiercely while he turned to stumble haphazardly back towards the idling vehicle unimpeded.

The Detective shakily slid in behind the wheel; the felon viciously engaging the handcuff while his own gun plunged into Danny's heaving stomach. Delivering a firm slap to the injured man's head he growled out a curt warning, "Get out of here now, Williams." Convulsively rubbing his damaged cheek into the shoulder of his shirt, Danny's throat constricted against his increasing level of nausea. Without hesitating further for fear of the unspoken threat, Danny instantly did as commanded. Aggressively accelerating through the Wharf's confusing maze of alleyways, he grudgingly put distance between himself and his horrifying actions.

"Feeling sick Detective?" Hailama nastily quipped while eying the distress now consuming his target from head to toe. Their next stop would be the Detective's last, the officer pausing briefly to pull out a syringe from his pocket. "Let's correct that." Without preamble, he plunged the thin needle deeply into the stunned man's leg.

"What the hell!" Danny nearly drove off the road as the needle pierced violently into his thigh. The heat was instant, Hailama dispensing the contents of the syringe before disgustingly tossing it to the floorboards of the car. With the added spike of adrenalin into his system, the sensation of burning suddenly traveled up into his constricting ribcage. Unexpectedly emitting a subdued cough, he struggled to successfully draw in a lungful of air. The Detective's eyes frighteningly widened while he clenched his stiffening fingers, the tenuous hold on the steering wheel wreaking havoc on his ability to keep the Camaro on the road.

"We aren't going far and yet it's far enough," Hailama purred happily. Directing his harassed driver through the congested downtown streets, the officer nodded in satisfaction while confirming there were no obvious signs of pursuit. Similar to his hostage, island life was no longer appealing to him. He had developed an astringent distaste for the blazingly hot sun and endless blue skies. While finalizing his revenge, he'd stuck to the enticing downtown commercial district. His comfort level was enhanced by the familiarity of the city with its traffic, high rises, and bustling activity. As with the economic development of many cities, locating an abandoned building suitable to his needs had been effortless.

"Here, turn right. Follow this road for five miles. Then another right." The gun still anchored to Danny's side, he eventually located the broken gate of the security fence and entrance to their ultimate destination. Driving the Camaro onto the ramp of the deserted warehouse's loading dock, he cautiously drove in. The Detective slowed considerably giving himself scant moments to accommodate to the subdued sunlight filtering through the bowels of the old building. "Park it," Hailama demanded, blinking uncomfortably at the sudden transition to the muted shadows. The drugged Detective sluggishly responded, throwing the Camaro roughly into park as directed.

The crumbling concrete building radiated waves of stifling heat, duly noted when Danny reluctantly turned off the air conditioned car. Aggressively massaging his deadened right leg, he glanced down to the abandoned syringe. "What was in that?" He slurred sloppily. Slightly stunned, his upper torso swayed unsteadily within the confines of the driver's seat. His vision alarmingly narrowed, his eyes refusing to track smoothly up to his captor's face.

Rather than grant the courtesy of a reply, Hailama abruptly unfastened the handcuff from the steering wheel. Roughly pushing Williams forward, he snared the man's unresponsive left arm securely behind his back while slapping his wrist back into the tightly cinched cuff. His leer communicated undeniable disdain as the K9 officer smoothly left the passenger seat to unceremoniously haul the Detective out onto his feet. His fisted hold of Danny's bound arms kept the man unsteadily upright while he was marched deeper into the recesses of the damp building. Graffiti lined dangerously neglected expanses of porous wall. The two men were forced to walk around the previous squatter's hurriedly discarded old refuse, burned out firewood, and insubstantial trash that had been rustling in the errant breeze. The humid, dank scents of mold, mildew, and decay intensified as they walked further into the blackened interior of the warehouse. Hailama's calculated stride indicated he knew the confines of the abandoned building well, having the precise expanse of the interior permanently etched into his mind. Fighting to keep his eyes open, Danny suddenly found himself thrust chest first into an unforgiving concrete wall where he remained ferociously pinned by one of his captor's toughened hands. As air was pushed mercilessly from his lungs, he forced his head to turn towards the unmistakable din of jangling keys.

A heavily battered metal door bragged two newly welded locking mechanisms that harshly reflected the dim light. Uneasily detached from his threatening circumstances, Danny vaguely watched as his tormentor unlocked the polished hardware, swinging the door fully open. The fading light from the corridor played across the broken concrete floor revealing within the depths of the room a ripped, yellowing mattress. Just above the disintegrating bedding hung an unyielding iron ring, solidly bolted into the soundest section of the concrete wall.

"Do you like it, Detective? I found it just for you." Roughly patting his captive's injured cheek, Hailama heckled when Danny involuntarily hissed in his effort to turn away from the painful shock. "I can see that you do." The final blow to his face was hard, nearly crushing the side of Danny's temple into the roughened concrete. The Detective winced as grit tore into his abused skin when the officer maliciously shoved him against the unforgiving surface again. "Home sweet home, haole."

Blinking back the unwelcome surge of tears, the anguished father forced his voice to work, "Kimo, I did want you wanted. I killed him; I killed Stan." Assuming correctly he was running out of time, Danny clumsily forced his shoulder to push-off the wall to confront the Senior Officer. He didn't doubt that Rachel would never forgive him for what he'd just done, but getting Grace home safely took precedence. An anxious, frightened pang flit across his chest.

"Let Grace go." The odors of neglect reeked within the room as the stale air slowly ebbed out through the open door. His distorted speech was hampered by his inability to breathe, his final plea pressed out in a desperate whisper, "Please. Just make one call. You've got me... you got what you wanted."

Hailama took a moment to brazenly study the man's wan face before violently delivering two solid punches to his exposed kidneys. The punishing hits propelled Danny back into the wall before his body forced him to slouch to his knees. Gasping in surprise from the aggressive onslaught, he nearly vomited from the intensity of the unexpected pain. Repeatedly wrenching his trapped wrists in his failed efforts to protect himself, he uncaringly tore at his tender skin until it profusely bled. Suddenly, without forewarning, Danny found himself held up once more by Hailama's hateful rage. His back ruthlessly slammed against the rigid wall, the officer's repetitive blows were delivered in rapid succession to his solar plexus. Leaving the Detective nearly unconscious, air whistled haltingly through his numbing lips.

Vaguely surprised at being upright, his rattled breathing nearly drowned out his captor's perverse threats, "Your kid's going to die, Williams." The pledge was instilled with a lunatic's confidence, the K9 officer's sadistic laugh echoing through the Detective's tormented mind. Hailama forged ahead, lingering on each punctuated word with a rattling shake, "Alone and in the dark, just...like…you."

Danny choked in a sucking breath, feebly shaking his head no as tears trailed down his swollen cheeks. Fear overwhelmed his very soul, the cruel vow usurping his capacity to fully focus. "Here? Is she... in here...somewhere?" The internalized terror of his little girl being remorselessly ensnared in Hailama's perverse sport tore at the devoted father.

The future ex-cop regaled in the man's true to life nightmare, "She's going to hate you if she doesn't already." Further toying with Danny's flayed emotions, Hailama whispered menacingly into his ear. "She's alone and scared and she knows that it's all because of you. Before she dies, she's going to despise you."

A primal bellow of rage escaped through the father's bloodied lips as he weakly struggled to tear into his captor. Hailama's sudden release of his clenched grip resulted in the Detective's unceremonious sprawl, his unprotected head connecting soundly with the concrete floor. Hailama's first booted kick to his ribcage effectively forced out the inadequate trickle of air which Danny had managed to gain from his damaged lungs. The second resulted in a conclusive crack that progressed into a blinding flare of pain that refused to abate. Dispassionately grabbed by his ankles, the Detective was then dragged backwards by his feet across the hard cement floor. The abrupt move increased the level of debilitating damage to his ribcage, additional bits of debris grinding into his chest. Broken ribs creaked, distinctly objecting to the violent treatment. Unable to lift his bruised head, the side of his face received similar abrasive handling as he was maneuvered uncaringly to the disgusting mattress.

Released for a split second, Hailama unconcernedly retrieved a heavy rusted chain from the dark corner of the dingy room. Wrapping the weathered chain once around his left ankle followed hurriedly by his right, the K9 officer snubbed the Detective's legs tightly together. Still prone, his face was inadvertently pushed into the filth of the old mattress as Hailama attached not his cuffed hands, but his now tightly bound legs to the iron ring. Feet slightly elevated, the length of chain was agonizingly short. Danny wondered briefly why the mattress had been afforded to him as his ability to roll over onto his back, let alone sit up was impossible to achieve.

"Do you think one bar will do it, Williams?" Wheezing weakly as nausea gripped his aching stomach, Danny was unable to voice a retort. Balanced effortlessly on his toes in a crouched position, the senior K9 officer held his cell phone within the pinned man's line of sight, "Ah, now I get two." Demonstratively hitting the speed dial, there was a moment of silence as the call connected; two faint ring tones could be heard before a woman answered the call.

"Rachel Edwards," Hailama's initial salutation resulted in a low agonized moan from Danny. Completely incapacitated, he chanced a whispered warning to his ex-wife. His captor contentiously fisted Danny's hair in an annoyed rebuttal to the rebellious action, nearly smothering the man's face in the repulsive mattress.

"It's too bad that you've chosen to be associated with Daniel." The bombastic sneer increased as the head under his hand weakly shifted in terror. "Your husband is lying dead at the wharf at the hands of your pathetic ex-husband. Your daughter's death is inevitable, her father the cause for your loss. You'll be watching your own back Mrs. Edwards and that of your baby boy for a very long time. Your precious Detective can no longer protect you." With his threat successfully delivered to the confused woman, Hailama ended the call while grudgingly releasing the back of anguished father's neck. Rachel Edwards was now a known victim in the destructive wake of one Detective Danny Williams. Rising smoothly to his feet, the man cocked his head in obsessive curiosity. His sole purpose in life after the Five-0 Task Force had inadvertently destroyed his gun running operation lay weakly before him, bound and helpless. For Kimo Hailama, the outcome of his plotted revenge was an illustration of utter perfection. Delivering the final inconsequential bit of information to Danny suddenly became a delicious way to finalize his monstrous end game.

Positive the Detective would never be located until he had long since succumbed from his injuries, Hailama whispered, "I bet you want to know." He roguishly grinned before hunkering down into his emboldened catcher's pose, nastily awarding Danny's cheek a biting pat. Keenly examining the man's tightly closed eyes while they slowly reopened, he impatiently waited for the rattled father to become sufficiently mindful of him to truly hear. "You want to see her, Williams?"

Tears shamelessly leaked through half lidded eyes, the Detective incapable of forming audible words. Hailama's sardonic taunt immediately drew his attention as he fearfully sucked in short panted breaths. The bleary haze covering his eyes pleaded with his captor as they bore dreadfully into the man's crazed expression. His gaze swiftly flitted to the cell phone the K9 officer was suddenly scrolling through, Danny moaning in horror as the illuminated screen was flagrantly turned towards him.

"Your precious little girl is wrapped up snug as a bug in a rug. She's in a storage locker off the Pali Highway. Number fourteen hundred." Before securing Grace, Hailama couldn't forgo capturing the terrified child's image. Broadcasting them directly to the distraught father, "Just like the sweet little bug who hates her father's very existence right about now." Resuming his arrogant broad stance, the officer laughed, "Fourteen hundred. Have at it Detective."

Through partially hooded eyes, Danny soberly noted the brown shoes leaving his line of sight. The subtle twitch of his grossly swollen fingers the only indication of his exertion, his body candidly refusing to move. The resounding clatter of the door closing and the two locks being sent home were the last sounds he heeded as he retreated into himself in despair. Fearful for his daughter's life, Danny burrowed his forehead into the retched stink of the ratty mattress. Forcefully willing himself to imagine her safely in his arms, his mind mercifully plunged him into the abyss of oblivion.

**~to be continued~**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer**: Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Yes, yes we both agree that Hailama is a truly horrific character with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. All of our combined muses agree that he's beyond help and the epitome of evil. There will be a familiar thread or two in some of the next few chapters. As a reminder, this story blends two divergent originals where Irene Claire's rehashed the Peterson Episode. And though we probably say it every time — JazzieG and CinderH can't be thanked enough for corralling two crazy writers simultaneously! Enjoy!_

**Chapter 14**

The brash smile was permanently etched onto the man's face while he strolled leisurely to the darkened corner of the warehouse where he'd parked his motorcycle. Hailama had purchased the beat up Harley from a local businessman. Housing the beast in the same storage locker where Grace Williams sat indefinitely bound as tightly as her own father, he had moved the vintage bike into the warehouse only the week prior. Without a backward glance at the Camaro, he pulled a change of clothes out from the large saddlebags on either side of the 1974 Harley Davidson Sportster. A simple but profoundly altering disguise followed, corresponding with the falsified credentials Hailama would use to inconspicuously depart the islands.

Still smirking in arrogance, the newly born Ron Hanson balled his old clothing into a bundle. Haphazardly tossing it to the front passenger seat of the Camaro, he paused only to strap on his insignia helmet. Revving the Ironhead side-valved engine to life, he confidently left the grounds the way he had initially come.

Now entirely free of his vendetta, he felt lighter as if an enormous weight had been lifted from his burdened chest. His end game was to depart the islands without suspicion…undetected. The newly born Ron Hanson overtly aimed the Sportster towards the main highway then on to the Honolulu International Airport. If the bustling airport appeared to be secured, his advanced preparation demanded that he leave by water. A casual trip to the Big Island would permit him to adapt his escape strategy accordingly. He would be keeping his new persona as Ron Hanson indefinitely, now that he'd truly shaken the muddied dirt from his heels.

H50

Three hours later, the bored young members of 'Wolfpak' cautiously approached the abandoned Camaro looking explicitly for a cheap thrill. Unanimously equating the sweet ride to a good time, the three native north shore gang members searched the dilapidated buildings immediate innards for the vehicle's supposed owner. "Could be a trap," the young gangbanger whispered while he longingly caressed the hood, peering into the dark empty interior. Spying the randomly discarded personal affects, he opened the passenger door to tentatively grab the pile by his finger tips. Shaking out each piece of clothing, he let the abandoned items fall to the concrete floor. He shrugged as he slid in to the passenger seat, toeing the used syringe with his boot. Belatedly detecting the flecks of blood on the driver's seat and steering wheel, he grimaced in disgust. Using the worthless clothes to wipe off the splattered blood within the interior of their new ride, the remaining members circled the vehicle to allow their brother room to work. "Or not," he breathed out nearly to himself in hesitation. His assumption had been that the occupant had originally jacked the car and was long gone. If not jacked, then the owner was a user, wandering off somewhere to enjoy their high in private. With a sudden gleam to his eye, he moved to the driver's seat. In less than the blink of an eye, the Camaro roared to life, the result of his skillful hotwiring. His friends laughed with pleasure as they dove to get in before he could leave them behind. "I say we take it!"

Their venture through the back streets of Oahu was unencumbered; the native young men expanding their joyride as they grew bolder in their intent. It took considerable time to show off their gorgeous find, bragging to the local brotherhood about their ease in taking what they wanted. But by then the All Points Bulletins regarding sightings of the missing Detective's silver Camaro were in full swing across the island.

H50

Hailama's petrifying message to Rachel Edwards had sent her into frantic motion. Overwhelming fear literally spun her in place with baby Charles rocked tightly in her arms. Her first call had been that of a Mother, screaming at Sacred Heart's Principal when he confirmed handing her daughter over to a uniformed Officer. When her husband's and Danny's cell went unanswered, her ex-cops wife instincts took over. Contacting HPD in rigidly controlled panic, she was eventually patched through to Steve. Grace's abduction at the hand's of Hailama was distinctly unanticipated. But by the time the call came through from Rachel, the SEAL's own head had been reeling by HPD reports that Stan Edwards had been shot by his partner only an hour earlier.

Back at Kapaa Quarry, SAR had been in the midst of a recovery search with the additional support of HPD's remaining K9 Unit. Rodney Maunakea had been extracted from the collapsed slope and transported back to the morgue. Andy Kalakona had been life flighted to Queens in critical condition. Emotions were running high as cold water divers searched the 55 acre watery pit for the body of Detective Williams. One of the K9 team's cleared the debris field in order to eliminate the possibility of the Five-0 Task Force member having been buried or thrown to the flats. The remaining dog team's searched through the dense vegetation surrounding the quarry pit and from the trailhead to where the Camaro had been parked. No one could decisively confirm that the Detective had escaped the blast, not even Five-0. Danny hadn't been seen, hence the massive ongoing search and rescue deployment. Confirmation of the Detective's live status hadn't come in until the public's notification and description of the shooting.

With the directive to HPD not to approach, the first call regarding the Camaro's location was relayed to an anxious Steve McGarrett. Aggressively flooring his massive Silverado towards the joy rider's constantly fluctuating position, he communicated the coordinates to his two teammates. Advancing from alternate locations where they'd been vainly searching for Hailama, Five-0, along with HPD, forcefully encircled the car as it attempted to slip past their vehicles. Noting the gang colors, HPD had set up additional road blocks in an attempt to funnel the young driver to where he was ultimately forced to stop.

The three troubled males came out en masse, finding themselves held at gunpoint by three fully armed members of Five-0 and several HPD officers who had neither the time nor the inclination to be subtle. Behind them, additional HPD police vehicles screeched to a blaring halt as more harassed officers joined the fray. An agitated police dog held protective ground beside the formidable Commander as he ordered the three men to place their raised hands on the hood of the Camaro. Warily eyeing the intensity of the canine, the young men quickly complied with the harshly delivered edict.

"It was a trap brah," the youngest Wolfpak member bemoaned. The driver was in Steve's furious clutches, but the irate Navy SEAL's question completely took them all by surprise. "Where's my partner? The Detective who owns this vehicle…where is he?"

The native Hawaiian's stammered response was telling, "A cop? This is a cop's car? Shit…look, we found it over on East in that old abandoned concrete shell." Confronted by a battalion of incensed law enforcement officers, the three gang member's caved instantly. The flustered driver spewed his retort, "I can take you, brah! Really...no problem!" Seconds later, the skillful hot wirer found himself thrust firmly into the hands of Sergeant Duke Lukela. Steve growled out further orders to relocate their search for his friend, promising any number of objectionable outcomes if the young man's hurried statement was a lie.

Arriving on scene at the warehouse, Steve forcefully grabbed the Wolfpak member from Duke's hands as the Task Force converged on the abandoned building. What the gang banger didn't quite yet understand was the barely controlled rage of the Five-0 team members. The Commander, who currently had him by his shirt collar, was on a razors edge as every minute ticked by and his partner had yet to be located.

Forced into emergency care for the bite wounds caused by Hailama's destroyed German Shepherd, Steve only paused long enough for a qualified Veterinarian to ensure Kahu was indeed quite sound. Receiving splintered information regarding Officer Kalakona's desperate condition made matters much worse. Learning of Grace Williams' apparent abduction figuratively dropped the team to its knees becoming the near fatal blow to the morale and wherewithal for their remaining 'ohana. Hence, the very thin line the gangbanger straddled as the only potential lead in a desperate race to preserve two lives, snapped.

The young man became weak-kneed as understanding slammed into his consciousness. Separated now from his brothers who had been taken to the precinct for processing, this one theft was over and above what they had anticipated. It was more than a trap, the north shore native keenly grasping that one of Five-0's own had been abducted. He had unwittingly become informant number one on the Task Force's short list.

"Clothes?" Steve strode towards the odd pile where the nervous driver had gestured. The Commander coughed as the musty odor of mold assailed his nostrils, absently rubbing at the acrid sting. "These were in the car?" The young man vigorously nodded as Steve used his boot to spread the garments across the roughened concrete floor. Kono kept Kahu on leash as she worked the dog methodically through the evidence seeking to pick up any trace of the Detective's scent to track. The syringe had already been entered into evidence, Steve demanding from the nearest HPD Officer the clothing be collected for examination as well. "What else?" Beads of sweat gathered across the gangbanger's brow, his fear valid as official's ranged around him warningly. Back in the young man's narrowing personal space; Steve's threatening presence pressed further, "I want more. What else did you see?"

"Nothing! We cased the front and then just took it. The car, I mean." The Wolfpak member was petrified, gesturing with his chin at the location where the Camaro had been parked. "We didn't see anyone…nothing. No one brah. I swear!" Intensely gauging the man's useless portrayal of events, Steve knowingly glanced to Chin for corroboration. His friend silently nodded his assent; the young man's knowledge concerning Hailama wouldn't further the team in locating their abducted friend. Clenching his jaw in frustration, the SEAL indicated to Duke that he could take the driver back in hand.

The Commander coordinated the additional Officer's on scene, the remaining Five-0 Task Force broadening their search for the Detective into the darker recesses of the weather-beaten building. Inquisitively, Steve rubbed his finger down a black streak on the wall nearest his shoulder. The concrete surface was weeping moisture as if it held up a deep underground bunker. The SEAL reluctantly coughed at the stink of the oppressively squalid odor. Ranging further into the confines of the inner rooms, the heat from the day made the baked building virtually intolerable to scour. The escalating temperatures would grudgingly lower during the night hours to provide some relief for the team's investigators. Five-0 however was unyielding in their determination to find their friend well before nightfall claimed him as its own.

Kono continued to work Kahu in a meticulous search pattern from where her teammate's vehicle had been temporarily parked. The police dog had been showing interest but not actively alerting since entering the dilapidated building. Without solid air flow through the warehouse, the dog wouldn't be able to pick up the Detective's scent unless she was practically on top of it. Tracking from the parked vehicle was also a challenge as the scene had been contaminated not only by the gangbangers, but by the sheer volume of investigators working the scene. Danny would have done a better job of limiting the amount of contamination to enter the site, giving his dog an opportunity to work in more optimal conditions. Kono also knew that the Detective inherently understood his dog's alert behavior or body language far better than she ever would. Kahu would have to forcefully indicate she had found something before the woman would be able to tell. But the team had agreed that it would be worth bringing Kahu, even if she was not being worked by her handler. She excelled with Danny, with another Five-0 handler she would still get the job skillfully done. Their friend had been relentless in making sure that she and the team were that well prepared.

"Here! Kahu's got him," Kono determinedly called out through her activated communication's link. Kahu had located the heavily battered door, the patina of the recently added locks unquestionably ill-matched to the abuse of the entrance. Instantly dropping into a down after her alert, she patiently waited her handler's next command. Drenched in aggravating sweat, Kono exasperatedly wiped the moisture from her face as she spoke, "South side Steve, near the rear." Running her fingers delicately over the age-old lintel Kono doubtfully asserted, "He has to be in here…please." Placing her trembling palms on either side of the door, she pressed her forehead into the solid foundation to steady herself. "God Chin, hurry…its bad…it's too hot…Danny's got to be in here."

Moving aside for her hastily arriving teammates, she paced slightly behind them as they worked at getting out their friend. Steve slammed into the heavy frame with his shoulder, using his accelerated momentum in a furious attempt to break down the barrier. "Danny!" Steve's expectant bellow reverberated through the narrow corridor, resulting in nothing more than a deadened silence. "Danny!"

Chin urgently ran his hands over the rugged framework, checking the inordinately strong components for any signs of weakness. The thick metal door opened out into the corridor, hence the inability of the SEAL's sheer force and determination to fractionally move the solid object. Sweat ran down their backs as the dank humidity filled their senses, increasing the already thrumming perception of urgency. Kahu remained immobile in her intent; ears perked forward, her steady gaze never wavering.

"He's in there." Steve ground out as his brain churned with options. Eyes momentarily closed in desperate insight; Chin was forced to stumble backwards as Steve rapidly pushed through him. "Keep trying to get in there Chin," throwing the unnecessary command out to his friend while he stormed back towards the exit of the building. The cousin's lobbed concerned glances at each other as they watched the man's quickly retreating back. The SEAL had any number of incendiaries at his rapid disposal, a fact that his partner repeatedly lambasted the man for. Urgently returning with a small C-4 charge, he expertly molded the plastic explosive into the desired shape between the two burnished security locks.

Chin warningly laid a hand on Steve's arm, "He could be too close Steve. You have no idea what the size of that room is."

As anticipated, the SEAL uncompromisingly pulled away from his concerned friend. He had considered every aspect to the dangers of setting the charge. "It's covered," Steve ground out through clenched teeth. He impatiently shuffled his teammates and Kahu further out of harm's way. Time was running out. He knew Danny was in that room with every fiber of his being. The building was old, yet incredibly airless for the state it was in. Hailama had mercilessly dragged his partner out of his very midst; he would not allow the man the vindictive pleasure of taking his friend away from him forever.

Meticulous in his next steps he decisively murmured, "I got it." He confirmed, then re-confirmed his calculations of the blast radius for the small charge. "He's in there." Steve let the rest of his fears hang in the thin air, quickly firing the detonator. The thump of the narrowly directed explosion vibrated through the corridor, disintegrating the two locks into tiny glittering pieces.

**~to be continued~**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer**: Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Continued thank you's to everyone who's endured this intense ride! And JLopie, seriously? The cattle prod? You're saying you need more angst? Okay! German Translation: 'platz'/down, 'pass auf'/watch out, alert, 'zur wache'/watch, on guard._

**Chapter 15**

Rushing the now badly damaged door, the SEAL impatiently yanked on the misshapen handle. The twisted metal groaned in protest, the latch near the handle catching on the strike plate. Ripping the door open, the darkened room forced him to hesitate only slightly before he hastened into the interior. Kahu had beaten him into the room by mere tenths of a second. Uncertainly pacing above the head of the mattress, the Malinois suddenly halted to softly nudge her wet nose into Danny's tousled hair. "Ambulance...now," Steve choked out. Witnessing the prone, unmoving outline of his partner on the tattered mattress, the filtering light from the corridor did little to abate the team's distress. Kono's whispered, "On it Boss," went unanswered as she sprinted from the room. Duke Lukela quietly slid into her place having shoved their apprehended driver into a cruiser under watchful guard.

Trepidation and anger alternately gripped the Commander when his determined gaze fell on his friend's tightly trussed ankles and wrists. "Bring me something to cut this with," Steve demanded while he rigidly knelt next to the filthy mattress. Signaling Kahu to 'platz', the dog dropped into a down stay at the head of the mattress. Chin's hand landed firmly on the SEAL's shoulder, pointedly squeezing in his acknowledgment of the tightly wrapped links of rusted chain that cruelly bound their friend's legs. Briskly stepping out of the room on his cousin's heels, the Hawaiian ground out orders of his own that sent HPD Officers scrambling. Anger finally won out as Steve vainly tested the strength of the iron ring. Using both hands, he firmly pulled at the anchor where the bolt had been driven home into the concrete wall. A puff of crushed cement floated onto the encrusted floor, the fastener's foothold unwilling to give up its purchase. Grunting in frustration, he abandoned his hatred towards the inanimate object to focus on his injured friend.

"Danny? Talk to me." Putrid odors that wafted through the stifling heat were momentarily forgotten. Steve gingerly lay huddled next to his partner, his knees and shins on the floor. His chest was resting on his thighs, forehead lightly touching the ground while turned slightly towards his friend. His fingertips gently traced Danny's bloody, scratched cheek while he gathered the courage to check his friend's carotid artery for signs of life.

Hailama had beaten his partner.

He had understood that his friend wouldn't have escaped unscathed, but the brutality of what he now observed brought feelings of retribution bubbling hotly to the surface. Deep bruising had brought out intensely darkening palates of blues and purples along the right side of Danny's face. Intense swelling added to what Steve could see of his facial disfigurement, flecks of crusted blood dotting his lips and nose adding to the affect. The SEAL carefully trailed one hand from his friend's shoulder down his forearm. Fingertips trembled in escalating fury as his cautious trace lead to the grievously tight cuffs surrounding his partner's torn wrists. Steve forced stale air through his strongly clenched teeth, demanding that his rage stay in check.

"Cuffs…Duke," Steve quietly appealed to the HPD Sergeant, his voice rich with emotion. The older man steadily sought his keys to remove the tight cuffs. The release of the single strand teeth permitted the Detective's swollen hands to lifelessly slide apart, trailing limply down his sides while landing palms up.

"Steve?" Duke softly inquired. The SEAL hesitantly pressed his fingers into Danny's neck, eventually nodding as he felt his friend's weak sporadic thrum of life. The Detective's eyelids remained listlessly closed, the man unaware that help had finally arrived.

"Danno? Please." Placing himself just inches from Danny's motionless face, Steve stroked his fingers gently across his partner's forehead to just past his temple. "Danny, can you hear me?" Gradually leaning back onto his heels, the SEAL carefully ran his hands over his partner's torso checking for injuries. Involuntary movement indicated the distress he was causing to his friend, his heedful ministrations thorough in their intent.

H50

Danny feebly roused to distant sounds that initially meant very little to him. Unrecognizable, muffled noises that could have been the howling wind until a concussive thump echoed through his stifling cell. A faint odor of burning metal reached his nostrils, the air around him suddenly fluttering to make way for something…or someone. Lying as if removed from his own body, his limbs remained unresponsive. He was unable to moan in protest when determined fingers trailed gingerly down to his bound hands and across his back. Slowly recognizing that the errant hum was authentic, he determinedly translated syllables into familiar words.

_"Danno? Please."_ No…safer to retreat. Danny refused to hear the insistent voice as it brought him closer to awareness and more pain. His position on the mattress intentionally kept him rocked forward onto his damaged chest. Consciousness only reminded him of his inability to breathe in the stifling room. But most of all, the awareness threw him heartlessly into his failures. He required refuge in the lighthearted images of his Grace's smile, not the high pixel imagery of terror Hailama had taunted him with. But his friend persisted, his final plea forcing him to pry open his eyes._ "Danny, can you hear me?"_

Grace...her name stuck firmly in his head as Danny blearily recognized Steve's outline firmly placed in his personal space. Hope for his daughter gradually rekindling, the Detective frantically grasped for his destroyed sense of time. How long…how long had it been? God…Grace…his single intent on helping his precious little girl completed his concentrated grimace. He blinked in muddled confusion, desperately trying to remember what Hailama had said.

"Hey Danno, Kahu's here. We found her at the quarry, brah. They're okay Danny…Andy too," Steve softly assured his friend, watching tiny slivers of pale blue finally meeting his own darkened brooding gaze. The SEAL's heartened delivery of information to alleviate his partner's distress only buried him further. The pained bewilderment was obvious, the slow blink forcing his friend to focus just on him, "Shit, sorry Danny. It's okay brah, we're here...I'm here."

Steve's face swam in and out of view in a sickening surreal haze. The only thing reassuring Danny that his friend was truly there was the constant touch. The SEAL's steady hand on his face running soothingly into his hair was helping him focus on…Grace. She was alone. What had he been told? His desperate moan was soft; miserable, as his partner maintained tactile contact with his shoulder now.

What did Hailama say?

Maybe it had been a lie...maybe the K9 officer had gone back to finish his cruel objective. Danny moaned desperately into the mattress, each shallow breath one of pure agony while lying on his broken and battered torso. Yet he still couldn't gain control over his thoughts, trying to gather just enough presence of mind to communicate a few anxious words.

"Take it easy, Danny." Ever constant, Steve's own anxiety grew as Danny roused to an obvious distress. "Help's on its way."

But the Detective's own physical pain was irrelevant, as was his own life. He could bear his losses, whatever happened next if Grace was safe. Tiredly closing his eyes, he forced sound out of his arid throat; he needed his partner to understand. Ignoring the quiet resonance of Steve's soothing drone, he fought the deepening refuge that was determined to suck him back under. He would escape…soon, but not yet. Grace…Steven…please, not yet. Not when the man he ultimately trusted with his daughter's precious life could save her.

"Pal," the soft puff of his exhale barely forcing his lips to aimlessly stir. His fingers twitched stiffly by his sides, his eyes closing briefly before reopening in his continued struggle to refocus.

"Pal," he whimpered once more. He involuntarily grimaced when Duke gently traced his back, finding the broken ribs under his ruined shirt. Danny weakly ignored the flare of pain caused by the man's tentative search, he had to get the entire word across his bruised lips, "Pali."

"Broken," Duke quietly confirmed before repeating the one word. "Steve…Pali? What does he mean?"

Worriedly glancing at the older officer, Steve frowned at his friend's one pained whisper. "Pali? Danno, the highway?" Danny's finger twitched. Steve hung closer, his hand gently cupping the side of his partner's face.

"Pali...Grace." The Detective's eyes opened to mere slits, capturing Steve's gaze in a determined effort. Sluggishly tracking to Kahu then back to the SEAL, Danny forced his anguished stare to communicate his plea. His mouth silently moved around a jagged, broken inhale before seemingly giving up.

"Take it easy, I got it. We'll get Grace. Kahu comes too, promise Danno," Steve whispered as Danny's fingers scrabbled weakly against the dirty mattress seemingly in search of his friend's hand. "Near the Pali Highway? Hailama hid her there?" At a loss, the SEAL gently grasped his friend's swollen fingers. Afraid to push for more, he was surprised when Danny clung tenaciously to his hand as emphasis to his short plea. The Pali Highway was unquestionably correct.

Danny wanted to cry in utter relief, his steadfast friend filling in his unspoken gaps with a trusting ease. There was more though, forcing himself to remember as the darkening refuge beckoned more strongly. Grace could hate him forever if only she was safe. He could deal with her hatred, he would…for her sake. His last ditch effort cost Danny deeply as the pain shifted in his chest. His breathing altered, becoming more wrecked than previously. The distressed change stroked his partner's unease, a troubled curse slipping in between demanding entreaties for him to relax. But there was more…

"Four. Four...teen. Lock." Teeth gritted in pain, Danny forced what he could recall out on two shattered exhales. His soft moan and warning flutter of lashes begged the final toll for his ravaged body. Steve warily accepted his friend's sacrifice, understood the devoted father's struggle that clearly had everything to do with Grace. But his friend had demanded too much, trembling coursing through his battered body when he had nothing else to offer. A yielding helpless spasm through swollen fingers caused his hand to tighten once on Steve's own. Entirely losing his battle to the pull of the blackened void, he inevitably succumbed to the darkness.

"Duke, make sure the airports and docks are covered. I want this guy." Steve's unspoken indication that he wanted Hailama dead wasn't lost on the experienced Sergeant. Duke's own justifiable anger was escalating while he finished gently checking over the Five-0 Detective's body for additional injuries. Steve hurriedly checked his partner's pulse as the HPD officer rolled to his feet. "We've got this Steve. Just take care of Danny," the older man compassionately patted the SEAL's shoulder in promise as he passed. Striding rapidly towards the damaged doorway, he turned aside as Chin hurried into the dank room, bolt cutters in hand.

"He's tanking," Steve informed his concerned teammate. "We need to get him out of here Chin...Now!"

Scrambling to Danny's elevated legs, the men cautiously worked together to cut through the thick metal links one by one. Finally freeing their friend's bound ankles, there was the merest of groans while they tenderly placed Danny's splayed lower legs on the ground just shy of the old mattress. Kahu inched forward on her belly, an instinctive response to her primary handler's pain. Carefully setting her head on the edge of the mattress, her exhale gently caressed the injured man's face.

"Ambulance is eight minutes out," Chin muttered as they deftly crawled back to Danny's shoulders. Reaching out, the Hawaiian quietly laid a reassuring hand on the top of the dog's head, "Good girl, he'll be okay Kahu." Afraid to move him, Steve merely nodded as he went back to his careful examination of what he could see of his partner's injuries. A sickly heat rolled off his friend in never-ending waves as he struggled to breathe in each shallow staccato breath. Hailama thought he'd never be found, orchestrating the means for a slow, painful death. And he'd nearly won. Steve stiffened in anger as he envisioned what he'd do to the man when they located him.

"He's not getting away with this." The growled whisper reached Chin's ears, his friend nodding in confirmation to what became an anger-filled speech. "We have to find Grace. We have to find her alive, Chin."

Steve bent down to measure his partner's burdened respirations. Besides whatever injuries he was being forced to endure, the stifling room was doing Danny no favors. "He can barely breathe."

"We can use the mattress," Chin suggested quickly as he followed Steve's fretful train of thought. "Slow and steady to at least get him to fresher air. It will be like a stretcher if we go slowly."

Back on his knees, Steve laid his hand on Danny's neck reassuring himself that his friend's pulse was still beating before nodding in agreement. "Ribs are busted for sure; I'm positive that he's got a concussion and internal injuries. We take it slow, Chin...very slow. Kahu…'pass auf'."

The two friends carefully fisted a substantial section of each side of the mattress, hesitating when Kono jogged back in. "Got it," Kono added while she provided further support to where Danny's head pressed into the sagging fabric. Strongly clutching the material, she used her hands to securely anchor the front. Lessening any movement near their teammate's neck, they worked in tandem to inch him from the room towards daylight. Kahu padded decisively forward in front of the team, guarding the team's progress with her handler. Barely having entered into the dim hallway, other hands joined theirs to stabilize the old mattress moving one of their own to safety.

Danny hadn't flinched or uttered a sound as the retinue moved him to the outer loading docks. "Danny, open your eyes. Can you hear me? Danny?" Steve doggedly knelt at the head of the mattress, unsuccessfully persuading his partner to respond. The fresh air was still stifling but lacked its musty heaviness. Danny sighed reflexively as a soft breeze ruffled his lank, sweat-stained hair. His injured hitch was undeniable; his next shuddering inhales were slightly deeper, less painfully stressed. Kahu settled again as the SEAL silently gestured 'zur wache'.

"Kono," one hand gently keeping contact with Danny's shoulder, Steve rocked back on his heels while beckoning her to his side. "Find out what building, road, or house could be numbered fourteen or something like fourteen off the Pali Highway. I think Danny said the word lock. Look for a place where Grace might be hidden in that area that could be associated with what he was trying to tell us. That's all the information that he could get across, but it has to be enough. We need to get Gracie back for him."

**~to be continued~**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer**: Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Whew...still alive. Wore 'writer' tac vest last two days just in case. Wait...Master Yoda is saying 'no', keep it on. Oh, that's right, Cargumentluv got her cattle prod out. Silly farmer girl! Oh, and here's some more tissue. Never know, might still need it...later. Much...later. German Translations: 'setzen'/sit, 'bleibsitzen'/stay, keep sitting. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 16**

Kono's final list was astonishingly short, communicated to her team just as the ambulance departed with Danny who had been gingerly moved to a backboard. The transfer had wreaked havoc on his system, plunging his vitals into a stressed free-fall.

Steve slammed his spiking sense of duty to protect his partner into the back recesses of his mind, honing in on the public storage unit situated a short distance from the Pali Highway. Forcing himself to focus on what Danny would demand of them all, the task force, along with a battalion of HPD officers spread out across the long aisles of aluminum storage units. Officers had been directed to call out to the little girl at each marked unit with a four or fourteen designation. Regardless of the response, each storage unit was to be painstakingly forced open, its contents checked. An ambulance had been placed on standby off the fringes of the main parking lot, the two EMT's waiting impatiently with gear in hand.

Despite the news that her husband had been rushed into emergency surgery, Rachel Edwards refused to be anywhere other than where her daughter might be found. She had arrived with the HPD Officers now tasked in keeping her safe until Hailama had been apprehended.

The SEAL had taken over working Kahu along the corridors, strategically positioning the dog to approach each aisle so the slight breeze would be directed into the dog's face. Kahu would be able to pick up a larger scent cone of Grace much earlier than if the pitiful wind wafted up their backside. The Malinois had been 'booted' to protect her paws, the sizzling blacktop radiating choking waves of heat into the already oppressive early evening. Giving her off-leash freedom, she and the Commander could quickly cover more area not yet cleared by other officers.

Steve knew instantly when the dog caught scent of Danny's daughter. Kahu's head immediately rose from her methodical ground search, firmly directing her nose into the air. Tail swirling in helicopter fashion; she zigzagged back and forth bouncing off of each invisible barrier of scent until she had located the correct aisle. Bursting down the narrow corridor, she skidded to a halt in front of the roll up door to sniff the seams. Turning instinctively back towards the SEAL, she barked once. Whipping around at the Commander's gesture to 'setzen', she dropped immediately into a sit. Gaze never wavering from the corrugated metal door; she eagerly waited for the frantically sprinting man to approach. Out of breath from the sprint, "Gut girl Kahu…gut girl," was accompanied with another quick hand gesture 'bleibsitzen'.

Steve's desperation and forcefully contained rage warred with each other as he banged loudly on the container labeled fourteen hundred, one of the last few unit's within the stifling complex. "Grace. Gracie!" A strangled groan of anguish forced the SEAL's forehead to briefly press against the corrugated metal as he waited; palm's slightly pushing against the door in supplication. The frightened voice of his partner's little girl answered him back on a choked sob, "Uncle Steve!"

Powerfully shaking off his body's desire to sag in relief, he pushed off with his palms, fiercely yanking his gun from his holster. "Got her! Unit fourteen hundred. Get the EMT's over here now!" Steve barked into his com link.

"Stand back Grace!" The single shot tore cleanly through the lock just as the cousins arrived at a harried sprint. "Grace!" Steve bellowed, the teammates tearing through stacks of boxes to reach the little girl who was trapped in the blackened rear of the unit. Kahu easily vaulted over the obstacles littering the concrete floor, wagging excitedly as she circled the team.

"Uncle Steve. I want to go home. I want Danno." Tied helplessly to a chair, Steve kindheartedly knelt in front of her to wipe tears from her stained face. Taking in every inch of her small, trembling frame, "Are you hurt? Did he hurt you at all Grace?" Carefully using his knife, Steve sliced through the duct tape trapping her to the chair before pulling her up tenderly into his arms.

Reflexively, Grace wrapped her arms and legs around her adopted Uncle's body. Desperately clinging to his protective presence, she sobbed over and over, "I want to go home. I want Danno."

"You're going home, Gracie...promise. You'll see Danno." Steve held her head gently to his shoulder while Chin guided them out of the dark unit. As they exited, Kono signaled to HPD Officers to bring Danny's ex-wife forward. Gently running her fingers through the little girl's pony tails, she softly encouraged the littlest member of their 'ohana as Rachel reached the last bank of units on a run. Behind the team, the ambulance's eerily illuminating lights bounced off the unopened units as the ambulance was moved closer. Steve reluctantly unwound Grace's trembling arms from around his neck, cautiously handing her over to her Mother.

Inconsolably sobbing, Grace accepted the transfer willingly. Rachel had been close to hysterics, unable to maintain a reassuring expression for her terrified daughter. The British woman took a moment to gather herself, searchingly gazing into Steve's face with utter gratitude. "Thank you," she softly murmured. Wrapping her arms tightly around her little girl's body, tears rolled uncontrollably down her face as she graciously acknowledged each member of the Commander's team in kind. Completely undone by a rush of emotion, the SEAL could only manage a tight-lipped nod. His overpowering rage at what they had all so nearly lost flooded through his body in one great tidal wave of adrenalin. It was the emergency medical technicians who had the wherewithal to take control now, moving the distraught child while still in her mother's arms into their expert care.

"Hospital?" Chin begged the answer, conflictingly knowing that Hailama was still at large. Law enforcement had the entire island on alert for the man, but he instinctively knew that Danny's 'ohana needed to be at the father's side. Most importantly, their friend needed Steve to be there.

"Yeah." Distracted by troubled thoughts, his response was more an audible breath as Steve anxiously turned to ensure Grace and Rachel had made it safely to the ambulance with the proper escort. Nodding to his teammates that he and Kahu were ready, they each jogged towards his truck to leave together. Danny's medical state had edged dangerously close to the precipice; his need to know more would ultimately decide the man's own well being. And it was imperative that Steve be the one to tell him.

H5O

"Wait, wait, wait," Steve breathlessly intercepted the gurney as it moved from the emergency room towards the surgical theater. "How is he?" Steve whispered anxiously, his protective instincts flaring at the sight of his injured partner. The SEAL had bullied his way into the extensive trauma unit unsure that Danny would even hear him, yet convinced that the father needed to be told. Instantly on the defensive when he saw Dr. Kapahu's face, "One minute…I just need one minute with him. He needs to know."

Verbally reprimanding the Commander for the unadvised interruption, "He needs surgery. We can't wait Commander." The surgeon physically towered over his patient for emphasis, his posture rigid with concern at the unnecessary delay. The man's blunt dismissal of Steve's need to communicate with his friend earned Dr. Kapahu the SEAL's unwavering glare.

Bending close to Danny's obscured face, Steve fruitlessly tried to ignore the invasive oxygen mask that was alleviating his partner's shallow breaths. The myriad of cuts, scrapes, and bruises tracing the right side of his partner's countenance had been expertly cleaned and dressed. The densely colored marring stuck out in swollen contrast to the paleness of the sterile bandages and hospital bedding.

"Grace is safe, Danno. She's here with Rachel," Steve pressed emphatically, his hand steadily placed on the man's shoulder. Wending his way down towards Danny's fingers, Steve enfolded them earnestly within his own. "Do you hear me? Grace is safe... she was there just like you said...Kahu found her…she's here and safe, Danny."

"Commander, your partner can't hear you. He's bleeding internally … his condition is critical, we need to go," the agitated doctor emphasized once again. Immediately brought up short by the intentionally directed steel gaze, the darkly brooding eyes softened as they dropped back down to encompass his patient. Dr. Kapahu stared abashed as the Detective's previously lax fingers twitched once, then twice in the Commander's own hand. Releasing a breath, the surgeon nodded his concession.

"We got your back, Danno. We're here waiting for you." As the weak grip remained stubbornly constant, Steve took one added second before glancing up to signal Dr. Kapahu he had permission to attend to his friend. "Grace is going home, partner. She's safe and she's waiting for you too."

Steve felt the faint, fearful tremor just before the swollen fingers loosened in his hand. Anxious for his friend to understand the importance of his message, the SEAL pressed one last time before Danny was whisked away, "She's safe Danno, your Gracie is safe brah." Twirling aimlessly as the convoy of medical personnel disappeared through the inner doors, Steve found his bearings in Chin and Kono who were both anxiously waiting in the wings with Kahu.

"Any word?" Instinctively understanding that her boss meant Kimo Hailama, Kono shook her head solemnly no. Even with the breadth of alerts across the island, they hadn't heard or seen anything of the dangerous ex-officer.

"Suppose he's gone...suppose we lost him? Hours have gone by and no one has come up with a single lead on the man." Kono hadn't been successful digging up any additional Intel on the defunct K9 Officer, her lack of progress grinding in its deficit.

"Unacceptable," the single word was spat as a gauntlet into their midst. Yet neither cousin was offended by the delivery; leaving Kimo Hailama to roam freely was truly an unacceptable outcome. The Task Force knew once Hailama learned of both Williams' survival, he would undoubtedly resurface. His failure to effectively finish what he had started would become an insurmountable problem...for everyone. Rejecting his defeat and his combined desire for vengeance lay deeply ingrained in the psychotic man's very being. Just as the ex-officer would not rest once he discovered the truth, neither would any member of Danny's own team.

H5O

While it was true that hours had evaporated quickly, Ron Hanson sat casually at the bar in the airport lounge. He'd parked his motorcycle in the long term lot, obtained his one way ticket, and checked his bags with relative ease.

His expertise within law enforcement for more than twenty years had served him well. His aptitude at measuring the clusters of pedestrian travelers while judging the intentions of each was a highly practiced skill that was like breathing. Necessary for survival, unintentional in delivery. His personal disguise, ambiguous in design, was equally forbidding as he noted airport security observing him without a modicum of interest. Taking a relaxed sip of his scotch he smiled inwardly, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the polished bar. Nodding once in acknowledgement to the bartenders query to refill his drink, he pleasantly engaged the man in conversation as time slipped by for his scheduled departure.

With practiced ease, he smirked at the bartender's inquiry regarding the badly bruised knuckles of his right hand. Flexing his fingers dramatically, Ron Hanson laughed it off, "What this? I had a minor disagreement with a haole." The bartender briefly paused in surprise, then laughing outright at the choice of words, "You're going to tell me, brah, that I should see the other guy?" Ron Hanson burst forth in chortled amusement, his raucous display of mirth enough to draw the attention of a few others at the bar. "That you should!" he acknowledged. Tipping his scotch glass in appreciation towards the man, he took another satisfying sip. As the bartender walked away, he smirked happily into the glass for another long pull while mumbling happily under his breath, "Yes, indeed. That you should."

**~to be continued~**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: We will be posting every two days now going forward due to the complexity of the story. Merging two did prove a challenge! Don't be discouraged because the story is essentially finished, but our collaborative muses insist upon multiple reviews to ensure that no stone has been left unturned before hitting that final Upload keystroke. Thank you all for reading, reviewing, encouraging and sticking with us for the duration. And another immense 'thank you' to CinderH who took on both authors alone, because JazzieG had the audacity to have a life outside of all this craziness. So glad you had fun and relaxed! Now, can we have you back? Please? Poor CinderH is going to disown us. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 17**

The next few days dawned quietly, unimpeded by the Task Force's inability to produce any valuable intel on Kimo Hailama. He had eerily dissolved within the population of the island, moving freely about upon completing his gruesome revenge. The SEAL's irresistible urge to run every person on the island through a sieve, pulsated through his veins following the restless hours beside his partner's hospital bed. Only seeking a break to make short flurries of demanding calls or when forced to do so by the cousins, Steve became his partner's sole watchdog. As each hour extended into days, the Task Force's sense of unease grew.

With the magnitude of Danny's injuries, the Detective had evaded being placed on a ventilator only by divine grace. The victory seemed insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but its reality was astronomical. The entire team would have unlimited access to Danny, Dr. Kapahu capitulating before the Commander had the inclination to storm the ICU. The demanding attending physician expected his severely injured patient to sleep for hours, waking only for mere minutes of awareness. But those abhorrently short moments of wracked clarity would provide his 'ohana badly needed assurances that their friend was beginning to heal.

Two of Danny's facial bones had been fractured during his beatings while four shattered ribs required surgical intervention to align them correctly. Fragments from his ribs damaged the integrity of his lung which eventually collapsed from the extensive trauma. Precise targeting to his torso bruised his kidneys and abdomen. Complications from the paralytic drug Hailama had injected into his thigh had restricted the Detective's ability to expand his diaphragm sufficiently. Adding the stress of being abandoned in the stifling concrete room had pushed the man dangerously close to slowly suffocating. His recovery would require hospitalization until his vitals could be stabilized and several weeks of intensive physical therapy. According to his partner's attending physician, Danny would have died a slow, excruciatingly painful death…just as Kimo Hailama had designed.

The brutality of the attack tore at the Commander's expert judgment, all his knowledge of profiling serial killers forcefully brought to the forefront by one vengeful act. He was certain what the Task Force was witnessing first hand was an evolution. That Hailama was evolving at a sadistic pace; would evolve more once he found that his quarry still lived. The team could handle what came at them, but Steve was afraid for Danny. What would happen once the father awakened. So he fretfully sat, waiting for the slightest indication of his partner's return to consciousness.

"Stan made it through surgery and Grace is going to be fine," his emphatic assurance washed over the room. Watching his friend's face for the slightest of reactions, "Grace was kept overnight for observation that first night and went home with Rachel. She only wanted to see you, Danno...just you." Sitting on the edge of the bed beside his partner's hip, Steve ran his hands over his face before locking his fingers on the top of his head. His eyes burned from excessive fatigue but he was afraid to leave Danny for too long. Now that Hailama had literally vanished from the team's radar, the threat to his friend increased twofold. The man could literally be anywhere.

Slightly startling when Kahu's muzzle landed softly on his knee for attention, Steve unconsciously dropped his hand to the top of her head in reassurance. Smoothly running his fingers through the scruff of her sleek coat, he allowed his eyes to droop in submission to the overwhelming exhaustion.

As he nodded in weariness, Steve replayed his debate with Rachel Edwards in his mind. He had defiantly fought for the precious girl to see her father; anticipated that fight until Danny's ex-wife calmed him with a mother's gentle warning. She tenderly argued that her young daughter was exhausted and frightened from her ordeal. Grace had been extremely upset when she adamantly demanded to see her Danno. But the stirrings of a child's confused anger over her 'ohana's refusal had been knowingly redirected under the auspices of hospital rules. Doctor Kapahu was another irritating obstacle to her admittance; Danny, himself, being the near silent third. Each element contributed to an uncertain outcome that could have potentially overwhelmed the young girl. But in the SEAL's rush to provide Grace what she had demanded, the emotional balancing act of that action would have imploded on them all.

His profound frustration unexpectedly shook him from his light doze, his eyes flying open in self-reproach. The moment of instant tension which raced through his body startled Kahu, her head nudging his hand firmly in reprimand as she gazed at him curiously. Steve sighed as he forced his mind to step away. He needed to accept the decision as wise and cease dwelling. As he allowed his fingers to gently stroke the Malinois' coat, Steve closed his eyes in a concerted effort to ease his troubled mind.

But then Steve missed all indicators because he'd been deliberating too hard and observant for far too long. He missed Kahu's intent gaze shifting to her handler's features, ears erect as her head eased off the SEAL's knee to rest gently on the edge of the mattress. He missed the soft inhale and pained hitch which pulled on the injured man's healing lung. He missed the tightening of the bruised fingers that searched the hospital sheets for purchase. Groggily peering through mere slits, Danny struggled to understand what he was seeing. Slow to react, his mind finally recognized his friend's fatigued outline. Heavily blinking to clear his blurred vision, the outline sluggishly wavered into the recognizable image of his partner's hunched shoulders. Trailing down the length of the man's arm, his fluctuating scrutiny abruptly halted on the bandaged forearm before further descending to his dog's intent gaze. Danny eventually realized his friend's eyelids were closed, the morning light streaming through the windows to silhouette the man's face from his view. He was surprised when his disembodied fingers obeyed his command to tentatively reach towards the softly bouncing knee. Once, then twice, the Detective connected with the man's patella, jolting his friend out of his overly exhausted stupor. The relieved delight of Steve's weary face and his dog's exuberant tail wag temporarily lifted Danny's inquisitive expression as he offered a soft chuff under the oxygen mask. Pointedly forcing his focus back to his partner's forearm, he sluggishly tracked back to his brother in demand.

"I'm fine, Kahu too. You certainly took your sweet time in waking up Danno," Steve gently chided him. Intently watching his partner's memories grindingly catch up to the present, the sudden physical change to absolute alarm violently rushed through Danny's trembling body. "No, no. Gracie's fine. You gave me what we needed to find her. She's at home with Rachel." Steve hacked the terrifying first recollections off at their base when Danny's breathing altered further. The SEAL did his best to circumvent the most obvious issues as his friend's breath hitched painfully in his chest, "Grace is fine, Danno. She wants to see you but she hasn't been allowed to visit just yet...maybe now that your awake though."

Steve ground through the details hastily, Danny searching his face to absorb the reassurances before digging his fingers into Steve's knee. "She didn't want to leave you from the very first day. She wanted to be with her Danno, but she needed more rest and you needed to wake up. Rachel can bring her soon, promise brah."

Steve hesitated then, dropping his gaze as a sign of his failure in protecting his friend…and Gracie. Too much time had gone by. He felt the loss of every ticking second in the depths of his very soul. The APB's were still in full effect, the frantic manhunt had continued throughout the passing days. But for all intents and purposes, Kimo Hailama had vanished through their tight net without a trace. Steve found Danny's hand as his partner's fingers dropped weakly from his knee. Summoning his courage and his flagging belief in the truth, he carefully provided what he thought was the correct update. "It's been a few days, no sign of him yet. We're going to find him, Danny."_ 'Find him, and then kill him,' _Steve vowed to himself as his friend's pallor blanched.

"No," the Detective's overwhelming sense of fear washed over Steve instantly. Danny's whispered declaration completely took him by surprise. Requiring a moment to frantically backtrack, he suddenly realized that Danny meant Grace not Hailama. "She...doesn't," the weak raspy voice was racked with grief. Cracking on the last forced syllable, Danny winced then dispiritedly closed his eyes.

Steve wanted to argue against the dejected whispers, reining in his own tumultuous fury to remain steadfast at his friend's side. Danny's physical condition was tenuous as he remained listed in critical condition; an argument was the last thing his partner needed.

"Grace? Not see you? Danny, of course she wants to see you," he hesitantly questioned his friend, confused by the man's rigid statement. Steve shook his head when Danny insisted upon pulling his hand away to burrow it into the thin hospital sheets, "You're all she's talked about."

"No," tears welled beneath his friend's lashes before they rolled lazily down each bruised cheek. "My...fault," each forced word fogging the inside of his oxygen mask.

"Try to rest," Steve coached quietly. Tears repetitively trailed along the Detective's cheeks, disappearing silently into his hair. The grief emanating from his friend's ragged body had him automatically retrieving Danny's clenched fist from where he had desolately tried to hide it in the covers. Kahu unnoticeably placed her muzzle gently next to the Commander's hand while it blanketed the tense fingers. He sighed in resignation when his intention to provide some level of solace failed to relieve his friend's emotional ache, "Get some sleep, Danno. We'll make it okay…just get some rest."

Refusing to leave his brother's side, Steve attentively sat beside him in silent vigil as his own fingers searched out the comfort of Danny's dog beside him. His partner's breathing slowly eased as his body demanded more time to heal. Slipping into an uneasy sleep, the trail of his friend's tears slowly dried on his battered cheeks.

H50

During the injured man's remaining days in intensive care, the team's guarded rotation became a well oiled machine. Scant information passed amongst the three members other than the Detective's essential protection and medical progress. Gathering quietly in the hushed corridor, one team member naturally eased from Danny's bedside to trade updates on how he was faring. Conversations were brief, efficient with expectations focusing further on his successful wakened states. In short, he was never permitted to be alone. His 'ohana had rapidly fine-tuned their own distinct methods of defining their friend's pending escape from an overwhelming blackness; one at first their teammate seemed loathe to leave.

Checking his watch, Steve expectantly studied Danny's features. Wrapped in silken darkness, the stealth of the ICU's mandated quiet hours shrouded the whispered dance of the night staff. It was consistently this hour of shadows which caused his friend to grievously stir. The softly furled fingers were the SEAL's initial clue. Grossly damaged tissue would allow his partner to clench just so far. And though unquestionably still asleep, he'd decisively wince or frown as the memories surfaced.

Keenly attentive, Steve smoothly canted over the bed to support his friend's weakened fist in his own hand. Glancing briefly at the heart rate monitor, the SEAL's soft chant to evade the fearful confusion before his partner could open his eyes began, "You're in the hospital, Danny. Grace is fine." Instantly readjusting his heartened touch to his friend's shoulder when the man's brow tightened in fear. "Chin just left a few hours ago, brah. He said you had a good evening. Woke up a little for him," he encouraged. "Kono will be here with my coffee in just a few more. She's not going to be happy she missed you awake, Danno."

Behind tightly sealed lids, Danny was dreaming...brooding...reliving. Stuck in that halfway place of ravaging loss and murmured foreboding, his first sense was that of pain. The agonizing sensations morphing into a depleted heaviness, his fingers scrabbling to find purchase on the roughened concrete. But the texture was inaccurate, the softness under his damaged hands initiating his fearful inhale of a filthy, yellowing mattress. The surroundings where he was ruthlessly trapped...where in his mind Grace was captured. Where reality claimed that his daughter had...died. But it was then the reassuring voice consistently took over, not permitting him time to dwell.

"Yeah, that's good. Open your eyes, Danny. It's still the middle of the night," Steve quietly coached through the worst of his waking. His partner was due for another dose of pain medication, the prerequisite seemingly part of the late night trigger. The quiet arrival of an ICU nurse would dispense what his friend still so desperately required to cope with overwhelming discomfort. The category of torment that could literally steal Danny's next breath. But it was the dreams which he needed exhaustive protection from.

"Steve?" Still broken and much too weak, Danny struggled to push out his friend's name. Steve grinned at his partner's successful bid into loitering consciousness, an exertion which was becoming markedly faster. Not requiring his knowing glimpse at the machine to verify, the solid report of the heart rate monitor would be just starting to increase its worrisome cadence.

The Seal patiently waited for his partner to awaken further and come to terms with his nocturnal demons. His familiar plagued question, "You okay?" was met with an equally customary reply, "M'fine, Steven." Danny moderated a shallow inhale while hazily tracking up to his partner's face. Sickly sluggish while fighting debilitating pain, he whispered around steadily shallow breaths, "Don't need to be here so much."

Enduringly lingering, Steve smiled before shrugging aimlessly at the reprimand, "I know. But I am, so tell me what you need." Softly relocating his palm to his partner's forehead for emphasis, he captured his friend's bleary gaze, "Hey, it's just me Danno. Tell me what you need." Unrelenting in his persistence, the slight trembling tell of the Detective's body justified the committal.

"No," too tired to maintain a disagreeable stance, even Danny's grimace faded. "M'good," he unconvincingly rasped. Frightening shadows played across the pale walls of his hospital room. Flickering monitors creating pinpricks of light that depicted horrid pictographs of his unescapable ordeal. The Detective's unabated siren's call to abeyance held at bay only by his steadfast partner's protective touch.

"Okay, it's okay, Danno. Take your time. There's no hurry, brah," Steve reassured. His partner's pleading gaze to take away this new reality was suffocating in its entirety. Picking up on his friends unsuccessful attempts to swallow and his growing agitation, "Hey, here. Just a sip." Unable to budge the stubborn man, Danny grimaced around the straw as he drew in the cooling liquid. "The nurse will be here soon...then you have to eat Danny. Even if it's just some broth or jello. You've got more meds and you need to get something in your stomach. Just a little bit, it doesn't have to be all of it," he knowingly encouraged, despite any or all of his partner's forthcoming weak refusals.

"'Nuff," reluctantly closing his eyes, Danny's hand shakily gestured the cup away. His partner's finger's restlessly tapping the stiff sheets, Steve steadied himself for the next insistent petition. The Detective's demand for the repetitive recitation would begin now, only pausing for said nurse's rounds.

Scrubbing at his face while his partner's eyelids drooped, Steve shook his head in futility. Hailama was gone. The paths to his whereabouts were cold, the leads all dead ends. Danny had been informed of that, but his friend would force him to repeat it. Before the painfully one-sided conversation devolved from there though, he conscripted his partner hear more.

"Kono's got Kahu full-time for the most part. That dog has more than everything she could ever want." It was an undeniable fact, Kono doted on the heroic Malinois as they all did in their own ways. Not having the dog in ICU with his partner twenty-four seven was a concession. What was good for both dog and handler. The fact that another row with Dr. Kapahu was averted never blipped onto the SEAL's radar. "She's doing really well, Danny. And even though she seems to miss you, she's on a regular routine." Firmly settling agitated fingers in his own, Steve placed emphasis on his next communication in a futile attempt to keep the conversation firmly planted on the positive. "Kono's making sure to get Grace and Kahu together daily. She took them to the beach in front of my place yesterday. They're both good Danny."

Steve inwardly flinched as the wounded telltale look encompassed Danny's glistening eyes earlier than anticipated. Remorse, pain and guilt littered every square inch of his bruised face leaving Steve no choice in the matter.

"Alright," Steve breathed out sadly. Scrubbing his face once more, he nodded dismally. "Andy's got the best doctors on his case. He's still in ICU and scheduled for ongoing consults with the best opthalmic and neurological specialists we can find."

"News?" Danny pushed out.

"So far it's the same, Danno," Steve admitted softly.

**~to be continued~**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer**: Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Thanks and Enjoy!_

**Chapter 18**

Exhaustedly pacing the hallway, Steve raked both hands through his hair in frustration. Every hour was a mirror image of the last. Danny had suffered a fitful night; tormented by violent nightmares that rocketed through his system only to return again as his body weakly attempted to recover. His friend's desperate pleas for his daughter not to hate him had ripped through the SEAL's psyche, setting his world upside down at the very thought. Grace had begged him to let her see her father, overriding her Mother's insistence that she get rest first. The Commander was now second guessing the decision to send her home before she had that chance. Before Doctor Kapahu had exercised his iron will.

H50

For the first time, Chin had come undone by the ongoing stress prompted to new heights by Grace's tear-filled pleas. The first argument with Doctor Kapahu to allow Danny's daughter through the doors of the ICU had become loud enough for Kono to enter the fray. Steve had caught the tail-end of harsh words and adamant hand gestures; Kono's determined hand restraining her cousin's fiercely quaking arm. Chin had been in a fury, determinedly holding his own against the arrogant, over-empowered physician.

"Five minutes," Chin insistently demanded as the stone-faced doctor impassively maintained his stance on what was being argued. Decisively striding forward, Steve apprehensively recognized the anger in the man's tightly-strung posture and thin-lipped expression.

"What happened? Is it Danny?" With the two men in a standoff, Steve frantically looked to Kono who quickly shook her head 'no'. The Commander spun, firmly pressing both palms against the solid sterile whitewash of the wall. Shaking his head to clear the sudden spike of fearful adrenaline, he forcibly kept his focus on what his teammate was saying.

"Grace. Chin is asking Doctor Kapahu special permission for Grace to see Danny," Kono ground out, pointedly turning back to the doctor. "He needs to see her. He needs it...and so does that little girl," Kono hissed in support of her cousin's initial request. "Five minutes!" Angrily occupying more of the physician's personal space, it had been Chin's turn to restrain his cousin from pummeling the recalcitrant Doctor into the floor.

"While I'm sensitive to what you're each saying," Kapahu's voice gratingly maintained an angry, harsh line, "I can't allow it." Not once had the man flinched, not an inch given to maintain his personal bubble. Eye's flaring into defiant, unrelenting righteousness, his nod indicated the conversation was over.

The Physician had stomped away before Steve could regain his wherewithal to weigh in. The thought that Danny had unexpectedly tanked while he had been gone mere minutes rocked him to his core. Chin had pulled away from Kono's seeking hands and with a furious wave of his own, pounded out of the ICU.

That altercation had been days ago and yet something had changed. In private, Chin had once more approached Doctor Kapahu hoping the man might relent as Danny's periods of awareness increased. While there hadn't been an argument of the original magnitude, the doctor's rigidity seemed to remain firmly in place. However according to Chin, Kapahu had at least promised to call his patient's ex-wife and that lone concession was different...something had changed.

H50

Chin and Kono had left with Kahu not thirty minutes prior, the SEAL's restless pacing wreaking havoc on everyone's nerves. Taking every ounce of his self control to not set his fist firmly and irrevocably through the sheetrock in the hospital's pristinely white walls, he spun on his heels heading back to his partner's room.

"Uncle Steve?" He nearly tripped when Grace's quiet voice unexpectedly rose from somewhere down by his left elbow. Eyes rimmed red from lack of sleep, Steve vigorously palmed them creating a startling array of sparkling white stars in his effort to focus on Danny's daughter.

"Hey Grace. You're here." Stunned to see her in the ICU, he looked over her shoulder to see Rachel standing quietly in the doorway to the unit. When Danny's ex-wife made no immediate move to join them, Steve intuitively understood that he was the object of Grace's unrelenting quest.

"I made a mistake Uncle Steve. But he was a police officer," Grace's bottom lip trembled as she stared directly into his confused face. "He was a cop and my Principal told me to go with him. He was dressed just like a cop...So I...I went, even though it felt wrong."  
Rendered speechless by the child's guilt ridden confession, Steve found his fingers once again buried in his hair while he looked from Grace's liquid eyes to her mother. Rachel's stance radiated an overwhelming weariness, her little girl's belief that she was somehow at fault the uneven ground obviously covered by them without resolution.

Steve conclusively grasped that Doctor Kapahu had indeed made that phone call to Rachel Edwards. The physician had finally recanted his decision. Or, despite her original opinion that mirrored those managing the rules of the ICU, Rachel had finally and unequivocally entered the fray herself. Whatever had happened, it had been enough; Grace's petite fingers now sought out his own calloused ones. Steve sighed with grateful relief at the concession. Chin and Kono's combined staunch refusal to accept the physician's 'no' had bequeathed Gracie her visit. Both cousins would be utterly relieved…no, actually stunned…to see Danny's daughter so magically appear. Their 'ohana had desperately needed this 'win'. Steve's frazzled nerves conceded a near smile at the thought.

Glancing back up at the desperation radiating from Mrs. Edwards' posture, his weak attempt at a smile faded. The tension she was closely guarding was palpable, a testament to how the Doctor's call might have gone down. Knowing that Rachel was beside herself by what had happened to Grace but also with the recovery of her husband, his rigid posture softened while he cautiously nodded to her that he had this.

"Danno's mad at me…isn't he?" His mouth gaped open soundlessly. With no immediate answer pending, he simply picked her up. Legs and arms twined around him trustingly, Grace burrowed deeply into his neck. "He lied though. Danno said cops don't lie," Grace's voice was muffled as her confusion and fears tumbled out all at once. "He knew about me and Danno. He knew where we lived…but… he lied Uncle Steve. He lied about everything and I went…he's going to be so mad at me."

That singular incorrect admission was the reason Rachel had failed. No matter what she'd been vehemently told, it hadn't been enough for Grace to believe that Danny couldn't possibly be angry with her. For if he wasn't angry, why couldn't she then see him?

Looking one last time at Rachel, he realized her failure had been the lynchpin forcing Rachel Edwards to change her mind. Doctor Kapahu's phone call had actually been well-timed. The despairing and utterly tapped Mother could now help her disconsolate daughter with the simple solution of just changing her mind.

"Danno could never be mad at you Grace. Never." Instinctively, Steve shushed the tears that soaked into his shirt as Grace clung to him. No longer hesitating, he abruptly continued towards his partner's room with a justifiably determined step.

H50

Small fingers touched his shoulder, tentative, and as light as a breeze. The very nature of the delicate touch communicated to him that Grace was there. Steve's indomitable presence tended to own any occupied space, dispelling the very air around him; indicating to Danny that his personal watch-dog had returned as well. Distracted by the overwhelming worry for his precious daughter, Danny unintentionally grimaced as a deeper inhale strained his ribcage. His friend's firm hand instantly found purchase below his little girl's to steady and encourage him not only to relax, but to open his eyes.

"Grace is here," Steve's softly delivered declaration was hardly necessary by that point. But it was Grace's voice which forced him to devotedly pry his eyes open to mere slits, "Danno?" Her inflection was off; as was Steve's, demanding that he pay close attention. Her tone was as hesitant as her careful touch, her reluctance crushing his last hopes that his beloved daughter didn't hate him. He belittled himself into believing that he hadn't expected anything more than her hatred, his breath hitching as his despondency pressed further into his chest. The single act of rousing himself enough to coordinate his movements towards her tiny voice was a testimony of his love for her.

The weary father gradually blinked, eventually registering the cloudy silhouette of his partner beside his bed. Allowing his gaze to sink, Danny was nearly eye to eye with his daughter's worried face. He studied her petite features for any signs of harm, nothing seemingly out of place. Her dark precise braids trailed down the back of her soft canary yellow t-shirt, a distinct contrast over his disheveled partner's attire.

"Hurt?" Swallowing hard, the unbidden lump in Danny's throat grew as a misty haze covered his vision. Determinedly fighting unwanted tears, the photo that Hailama had so nastily taunted him with forced Danny's emotions much too close to the surface. Grace could hate him for what he'd brought down on her; he deserved that hatred. Frustrated by his weakened state, he reached his hand up to envelope her fingers for what he believed would be one last time. "Steve? Hurt?" His demand was palpable. While softly rubbing his thumb gently over the fine unblemished skin on her knuckles, Grace tenaciously tightened her own grip. Her father's question aimed purposefully at her Uncle Steve confused her, Grace quickly glancing up to him for guidance.

"She's fine...really." Placing a hand on the top of her head, Steve helpfully supplied the confirmation to what Danny was searching for. "You two are quite a pair." Heaving a dramatically worried sigh, Steve rubbed the side of Grace's arm with deep fondness. The two were carefully walking a much too tightly strung line for absolutely no reason. "Grace thinks you're mad at her Danny, for believing in a stranger that was dressed like a cop. You shouldn't be talking too much, but you need to set her straight." Steve felt the tension skyrocket through her small shoulders as Grace leaned back into him seeking solace. His partner's startled expression proved that Steve had gotten Danny's undivided attention; the wallowing in self-hatred was supplanted by his typical fatherly flare. With the placement of his brother's hand demanding his partner keep his emotions in check, Steve smirked at the noticeable change in his friend. Danny's protective indignation that Grace believed any of this to be her fault rose to the challenge.

H50

A scant three days later, Danny had been moved out of the ICU and into a private room. Grace finally had unconditional access to her recovering father, another obstacle overcome for the faithful 'ohana. Perched on the edge of his hospital bed weakly supporting a pillow pressed against his aching stomach, his physical therapist gently grasped both his shuddering shoulders to avoid his untimely forward pitch to the solid tile floor scarcely two feet below. The Detective's therapist was quietly elated with her determined patient's progress, as was the experienced Head Nurse who had been closely monitoring the recovering man's session due to his recently prescribed PCEA. Danny and his team had been coached on the use of a patient-controlled epidural analgesia as soon as his manual dexterity allowed the self-delivery of his pain medication. With minimal sedation requirements, his PCEA provided improved pulmonary function as he fit into the category of a multiple rib fracture patient. The epidural analgesia also allowed him to cough up the congestion lodged in his lungs and the leeway to undergo a more rigorous physiotherapy session. However, the simplicity of his friend's tenacious act of sitting upright forced angry tears to well in Steve's eyes. Rigidly witnessing his friend's forced agony while guarding at the foot of the bed, his fingers clenched tightly into his palms while the SEAL silently raged at Kimo Hailama.

Once his partner had begun to gain fundamental ground towards his recovery, he had been tasked initially with slow, steady breathing exercises. Now that supposed progress had moved to his current stage of physiotherapy, Danny's pallor grayed under a sheen of slick sweat. While everyone involved in the Detective's recovery readily agreed that sole bed rest wasn't recommended, the relentless determination that the man attacked his physio sessions with also wasn't sustainable. His body simply couldn't maintain the position he was in much longer. The single arm wrapped determinedly in the pillow was trembling. Threatening to fall limply away from his body, his fatigued muscles revealed more of his still severely damaged wrist while he reluctantly whispered his defeat. "Can't."

Glancing at his watch, Steve instantly reacted on the disheartened plea before the therapist had time to cajole or encourage more from his friend. Fifteen minutes was an excruciatingly lengthy block of time for the injured man; he'd done more than enough.

"Alright, Danny." His bed was already adjusted to its lowest setting, his partner nearly positioned where, with just the proper assistance he could lay back down. Ignoring the stunned look of the new physiotherapist, Steve swiftly rounded the bed to support Danny's shoulders and back. The Commander knew his partner's tendency to drive himself relentlessly into the ground if he was not reigned in. He was intimately aware of those character traits...flaws, but he would not allow his friend to destroy his minuscule progress when he had so much further to go.

"Lean into me, partner. Let me do the work for you, Anna will get your legs." Steve kept his voice even while he glared meaningfully at the therapist to do exactly what he said. His friend's deepening tremble became obvious as he orchestrated the delicate process necessary to reposition Danny back into bed. Every moan and sharply hitched breath tore at the SEAL's tattered emotions as he methodically moved his partner inch by agonizing inch.

Swallowing spasmodically against nausea, Danny's eyes were tightly clenched against the radiating pain of the accomplished single feat. The Head Nurse efficiently moved forward to carefully readjust his nasal cannula, check intravenous lines and tweak sheets over his exposed legs. She disappeared briefly, along with the physiotherapist, swiftly returning with necessary ice packs after her patient's demanding session. Whispering encouragement, for both men's sake, she gently positioned the packs next to the worst of his injuries. Initially wincing at the abruptness of the temperature, Danny cautiously melted into the soothing coolness with a subtle sigh.

While she quietly worked, Steve leaned on his fisted hands only a fingers-breadth from his partner's injured side. He took a moment, closing his eyes when his head hung in overwhelming vehemence. Easily picking up on Danny's blazing torment, the lingering distress rolled off the Commander in waves until he was able to regain some semblance of control. Visibly shaking off his ricocheting anger and remorse, Steve paused to allow the Head Nurse to complete her routine. Gently placing her hand on Steve's bicep in reassurance, she quietly slipped out of the room.

Danny's labored breathing was valiantly struggling to settle into a calm rhythm. Softly laying the palm of his hand on his partner's trembling torso, Steve quietly sought to ground his friend. "Listen to me, listen to my voice, Danno. In and out…nice and slow. You've got to slow your breathing down." The even movement of his hand from sternum to collar bone set up a steady cadence for his partner to follow. The Commander made breathing an act of intense determination, forcing his friend's mind to fight off his body's need to gasp. " Good…that's it. Open your eyes now, brah. Come on, open them for me."

His body too wreaked to argue, Danny automatically followed his brother's direction. His eye's opened to mere slits, the pain within the blue depths pouring over his friend as the Detective gripped his partner's arm in earnest. He focused on the feel of Steve's hand gently producing a relaxing meter on his torso. With each arduous response to the Navy SEAL's sworn ministrations, he felt the crushing pain recede. He lay limply then, struggling to keep his gaze where his best friend had demanded it stay.

"You had me worried there, Danno," Steve's intense gaze finally softening when his partner's only tell gave him the signal he had been looking for. "Hey, you did good Danny. You did really good," a genuine smile only slightly clouded with concern danced across the beleaguered man's features. "Get some rest. I'll be here when you wake up. Right here waiting for you, buddy."

Far from alone, Danny eventually dozed in the silence as his weakened body found a new lull...a new level of normal. When he finally roused from a deeper sleep, he wasn't surprised to see Steve standing sentry once again at the side of the hospital bed, one hand steadily placed on his shoulder to ground him.

**~to be continued~**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Well didn't this work out interestingly? Chapter 19 being posted the same day as the long anticipated Episode 19 tonight! A bit of a de-escalation here …. maybe a surprise or two. YOU all have to be ready to expect absolutely anything with various muses on the loose! And Cargumentluv...WE are waiting! Get cracking farmer girl! Enjoy!_

**Chapter 19**

Grace's visit was the driving impetus behind the father's burgeoning determination to be released from the hospital under his teammate's protective care. The emotional strain of not being allowed to visit Andy Kalakona before Danny was released from the hospital had sent the Detective into a frightening spiral of self-loathing culpability that even the knowing safety of his daughter had difficulty balancing. But his precious little girl's belief that she had somehow contributed to the Kimo Hailama fiasco shoved the team into overdrive to get the man home. Dr. Kapahu had for once begrudgingly agreed that his patient's emotional health was deeply tied to his fierce loyalty to family. Confirming the stabilization of the Detective's vital's, there had been no logical argument for keeping him at the hospital itself. The team willingly sat through another detailed physician's consultation regarding their friend's physical therapy regime and doctor visits. Danny would once again be returning to the Navy SEAL's home under the watchful care of his 'ohana.

"A safe word Danny," Steve quietly described his idea as he watched Grace and Kahu enter the water in front of his home. Where he was content to watch over the little girl lost in play, her father was undeniably tense. Covertly glancing over at his friend, Steve measured every inch of his partner's much too wan complexion and continued weakened state. He didn't like what he saw, swearing to relieve his friend of the immense burden he was carrying of fear and guilt regarding his daughter. Kimo Hailama was still at large, likely long gone from the Hawaiian Islands but still a threat in the father's mind. Danny couldn't properly rest until the man had been apprehended.

"Hey," Steve leaned forward fully intent on the faraway eyes. "A word…or even a phrase. Something only we know and we change it up when we have to." The continued lack of response was worrisome, Steve finally rising to his feet to pull Danny's attention directly to him. "Did you sleep last night?" Steve knew the answer to his question. He'd heard the mumbled entreaties of each disturbing nightmare and the not so buried trauma that burned at the father's psyche. The faintly yellowed bruises still marred his temple and cheekbone. His healing ribs and repaired lung would continue to take weeks to strengthen. Until then, Danny needed his 'ohana's help and significant patience to overcome each hurdle.

"I don't know," Danny winced through a distracted shrug. Despite the SEAL's support, walking from the spare bedroom to the lanai had winded him. Sweat was still beaded across his forehead from the short exertion, causing him to distractedly rub at his chest. He coughed roughly when his breath unexpectedly hitched from a healing ache. "Watch her," he whispered worriedly as a wave washed over Grace's knees. He would never make it to his feet in time; his physical limitations only increasing the worst of all his imaginings.

"She's fine Danny," Steve replied comfortingly. "I'm watching and nothing's going to happen," his statement regarding his adopted niece's light hearted play more than truthful. Grace had bounced back with all the ease of youth, his partner light years away from benefiting from that luxury.

"Meds." Checking his watch then ignoring his partner's disgusted snort, the SEAL left the lanai for Danny's medication. Steve wondered what physical state his friend would now be in after locking himself away in his apartment if he'd been left to his own druthers. Using his body language to communicate the demand, Steve stood warningly over Danny until he reluctantly downed both the pain medication and anti-inflammatory. The man's antibiotics would come again later during lunch if Steve, or in reality Grace, coaxed enough food down his throat to at least coat his stomach.

"We'll get him," Steve whispered. The SEAL had remained lock-kneed over where Danny sat, a light blanket draped over his friend's legs. His vow was definitive and not to be contested. The subtle shiver that left obvious goose-bumps ranging up and down Danny's arms was his only initial reply.

"Watch her," Danny murmured again as a rogue wave lapped just above her knees to make her giggle and wipe water from her eyes. Kahu was bounding enthusiastically around the young girl, barking wildly at the foaming spray as Grace threw treasures for the dog to dive after.

"Danny," his softly voiced reprimand died on his lips. Steve wasn't certain Danny was speaking to him at that point. Steve followed his friend's line of sight, a heartfelt smile crossing the SEAL's face. He tenderly waved back when Grace caught them looking at her, bucket in hand. She paused for a moment to carefully stare at her father before going back to her task with a bit less enthusiasm.

"He's not done," whirling around in shock, Steve stared down at his partner unsure of what he had just heard. Completely somewhere else in his mind, Danny hadn't budged let alone returned the sweet happy wave. "He's coming back to finish this, Steve."

"We'll be ready," said in an equally flat tone. Steve's comment drew Danny out from his distant pensive shell, the look in Steve's eyes finally forcing a real reaction. Because Steve actually didn't mean "we".

"No Steven. Two wrongs won't fix this." Ever morally sound, Danny's teeth were gritted as he regained some semblance of control around the ache in his chest. Struggling weakly to his feet, Danny lost the blanket that had been draped over his legs. Briefly tangled and off-balance, he pitched forward hard enough to need Steve to catch him before he had a chance to sag to his knees.

"He's done more than two," Steve drawled around a dangerously fake smile, knowing full well that wasn't what Danny meant. He agreed that Hailama would come back to finish what he'd started, but the man wouldn't live long enough to place one filthy boot on the ground. Watching the dark-haired little girl laugh in the waves on his private beach and feeling the tremor of his partner's body as he put a steadying arm around his waist, Steve promised that the ex-police officer had personally inked the end to his very own future.

"We forgot something," their topic of conversation could be so easily altered, Steve almost had to laugh.

"What?" Danny had no idea what Steve was alluding to as he accepted the help to remain vertically on his feet. The fact that Steve's dark mood could change so quickly was disconcerting at best.

The SEAL tenderly waved again to Grace, her belly flop onto the sand in a fit of giggles after finding a treasure under the shallow ripples, floated up to the two friends. Screaming in delight, she raised both arms to cover her head as Kahu unconcernedly shook the remaining cold water from her coat all over his adopted niece's prone form. Looking up she instantly flashed a brilliant smile as she waved back, pleased to see Danno standing. Steve's gentle reminder finally hit home, "A safe word. Think of something for her to use only with her 'ohana. Something unique Danny."

"Yeah," Danny breathed the word out, nearly smiling. "'Ohana," he rolled the word over his healing lips…simplistic but a sound concept. Danny nodded in agreement as a wave of sudden weakness overtook him. Without needing to say a word, he found himself gently maneuvered back to the lounge chair.

"Okay," he pushed the word out under his breath, distracted and the result of the deep healing aches in his chest. While Steve draped the light blanket back over his legs to monitor Grace's activities, Danny squinted up at him. Finally grinning, though it took a great deal of effort, "That'll be the first one."

"Perfect choice," Steve whispered as he stood next to the chair. Glancing over his shoulder towards Grace and Kahu, Danny saw the approving smile spread across Steve's profile as he chuffed a happy sound. "'Ohana it is, Danno."

H50

He couldn't ignore his very nature no matter how hard he tried. And frankly, he was flourishing under the freedom of his new identity as he became more entrenched in his bustling surroundings. He invariably dissected the people around him, even the environment out of sheer habit. Perpetually sizing up where he was, his incessant demand to alternately plan ahead or plot an 'out' ravaged his vile mind.

As of late, one of his unavoidable penchants was to read the papers every day with a strict focus on the police blotter reports and the high profile cases. He identified those Officers most recurring in these articles and mentally made notes. By rote, he memorized suspect's names to naturally infer connections across crimes and hazard common threads to higher up criminals. Slowly, Kimo Hailama was studying his new home and its criminal element as if conducting a research project.

Determinedly engaging in incisively specific conversations, eventually led to the purchase of two untraceable guns and impressive quantities of moderately expensive drugs. Though it nearly depleted his entire illicit savings, he purchased ironclad credentials, including a new passport to better guarantee himself freedom of movement. Eliciting purchases that were specific, impressive and well thought out, Rodney Maunakea became discreetly known as a buyer; a player amongst the few he'd chosen based upon his research.

After all, _like_ always found _like_.

Ingrained habits firmly tethered into his psyche, his project became an obsessive necessity. Hailama required a larger backup plan; his need for money and a new network drove him relentlessly. Far from being the fool, he knew that he'd be dogged without mercy by his own once pathetic peers. Leveraging existing criminal activities to accomplish his desired outcomes allowed him to blend his own illicit plans into the existing landscape. He was currently engrossed by two homicides in Kings Cross, located in the City East district of Sydney. On first blush, he inferred what the locals were seeking to validate in the deadly fires. Knowingly vicious in his intent, he could help them justify their direction much faster with a small, sadistic shove.

But what he hadn't anticipated was the solid kick to the groin he received one pristine morning. He was sitting at a pleasant outdoor cafe in Sydney when he ultimately ascertained the disturbing truth. Rudely sprawled with one foot cocked under the table on the lone chair across from where he sat, he idly thumbed through his iPad. Stopping long enough in his search to frown around a mouthful of heavily customized coffee, his softly angered curse caused the mother at a nearby table to grimace in displeasure.

He'd had several weeks of uninterrupted bliss by his own design after the jet-setter Ron Hanson transitioned into the more mundane Rodney Maunakea. After all he'd been through, a vacation was well deserved. But while he calmly fell into a routine, Hailama's natural interest prickled at his obsessive thoughts. He desired, and then that morning absolutely craved to see Williams' obituary.

His treacherous discovery gave him little pleasure; the urge that compelled him to obliterate the Detective's very existence propelled him into a darkening fury. There was no dearth of articles about the tragic death of a police dog at the hands of the elite Task Force. The usual swirl of antagonistic or sorrowful public opinion of the methods used by the Governor's specially appointed law enforcement unit was decidedly lacking. The unsympathetic references to himself and the blatant misleading facts regarding his dog's volatile traits were in abundance however. HPD's and the press' failure to recognize his skill in developing his dog's inborn qualities should have been acknowledged as brilliant. He hadn't ruined the Shepherd at all. He had nurtured the dog's aggressive tendencies making the animal useful and ultimately expendable. Exactly what a Police Dog should be, a tool for the handler's uses...nothing more. Hailama's anger flared at their stupidity.

The woman near him glanced over once more when the irritatingly harsh sound of porcelain on porcelain reached her ears. She watched in fascination as the male foreigner literally ground his coffee cup down into its small floral saucer. When she noticed the whitening of his knuckles on large, roughened hands thick with strength, she simply gathered her things and left the cafe'.

By the time the anonymous woman reached the street corner, Hailama's hands were trembling with unfettered annoyance. Spots of coffee flecked his fingers as he mumbled, "He's alive." His eyes narrowed further as he drank in the most recent articles that tallied his destructive rampage. Two injured officers, a dead police dog, a rescued child, a wounded civilian, and a murdered convict by unknown hands at Halawa State Prison. It was all there in various degrees of journalistic license. The gaps easily slid into his consciousness without effort based upon his first hand knowledge of the events. It was the last slanderous article that transformed his terse flare of surprise into a frenzy of activity. The Governor and HPD had honored the once fine German Shepherd with a memorial service befitting a fallen officer.

His brief flicker of astonishment transformed instantly into a brazen rage by the magnitude of his failure. Below the surface, his inner survival mechanism warned him against his defiant emotions and begged he heed caution. But he was too far gone, slamming his feet to the ground and roughly pushing the table physically away so he could rise. Silverware rattled, the small vase with its two brightly colored flowers toppled over onto his table. The stream of water from the vase joined the coffee he had spilled. The second chair pushed violently, his final shove causing it to precariously teeter on end before it crashed loudly to the cement.

"Problem, mate?" Growling, he glared defiantly at the bold waiter who clearly indicated that his customer was causing a scene and soon to become most unwelcome. With a sneer, Hailama tossed payment to the table where it fell into the cooling puddle of coffee. The inconsequential waiter was quickly forgotten as he rapidly strode down the busy sidewalk. His muttered oaths and blustering gait briskly cleared the way, leaving everyday humanity startled in his widening wake.

Hailama's entrenched demand for variable options grew much more urgently now. He required a new subterfuge regardless of how much time it might take. Providing that impervious shove for the Sydney police would be the initial step of many.

Because in the end, he had promised himself that all things stamped by Williams' touch would be eradicated from the face of this earth. Including the man himself. And this time...this time, he wouldn't fail.

**~to be continued~**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Hmm … Hailama was happy for just so long it seems .. and now the plot bunnies run amok … or do they? And Topazicatzbeth, so proud of you! You're next Cargumentluv...just do it! Enjoy!_

**Chapter 20**

Hailama's antagonistic response to his previous failure was to initiate his next plan of attack that very night. The published locations of each of the two homicides required reconnaissance. He would have nested longer if given the opportunity; regrouped to establish solid projects for his 'retirement'. But the collapse of his vendetta was forcing his hand; his premeditated revenge was not yet complete. He couldn't acquiesce to his burgeoning new power in Sydney until his pledge to disembowel the Detective was concluded. However, he would use his well versed strategies to develop an 'out'; the resurrection and redefinition of his legitimized intention for Williams would have to wait...for now.

Recently acquired false identification would be leveraged sooner than he'd anticipated due to his unavoidable strategic exit from Australia. His hand would also be forced on manipulating the two homicides to his benefit in advance. Using years of honed skills, he stealthily entered the burned out shell of the former apartments knowing that hard evidence would be long gone. What he was searching for in its stead was an aura of one man's sadistic pathos. A single corrupt officer's understanding of the true criminal element would prompt the creation of a well defined, vicious serial killer.

The solitary, fabricated murderer would keep authorities preoccupied and confused...indefinitely.

Two murdered men had been portrayed in the newspaper articles as having been of varying ages. However, both had been foreigners lured to Kings Crossing's well renowned nightlife where they'd been heedlessly drugged, robbed and subsequently murdered. Customarily killed by the same perpetrator or not, the accomplished ex-officer could coax and foster similarities that would bury the search for Kimo Hailama and his half-brother permanently.

Post-mortem, both victims had been burned in abandoned buildings nearly obscuring the medical examiner's ability to proffer positive identification. Each had been doused in kerosene. But there were commonalities and differences that provided just enough variety that Hailama could utilize those facts as he saw fit. Reading every newspaper he could get his grubby fingers on, the ex-officer created a rock solid profile that would stand under the most intense scrutiny. He couldn't come up with all of the details, only that which had been released to the prolifically infantile media. What he was unable to find in print, he studiously searched for online and amongst his burgeoning contacts. Regardless, he would nurture Sydney's authorities in their primary education of his unbeknownst talents; make them firm believers in his untimely death. Dominate the evidence then bide his time under new auspices. His homecoming would fly completely under the radar, empowering him to finish his vendetta honorably.

H50

The next morning, Hailama visited a hardware store to purchase incendiary household items which included kerosene. His acquisition of a small stash of the requisite drug from his eager supplier, though not of his normal ilk, went unquestioned. Within hours, he was adequately prepared. His supplies, with two additional sets of his own clothing, were well hidden at the desolate apartment building he had chosen for later use.

Upon defining the method and location for the third murder, all he required was a distinctive mark. One mimicking his stocky build, dark complexion and roughly of the same age. Dressing as a distinguished businessman, he made dinner reservations at a locally coveted restaurant to determine his target. Ever the charmer, Hailama's oozing pleasantries initially fell short at identifying what he required. Maintaining his facade, he smoothly chatted up the waiter and then relocated to the bar for a supposed nightcap. Just as he was swirling the final dregs of his cognac, there was a persistent nudge to his right.

"Here on business?" The voice was slurred, friendly. Confidently turning, he came face to face with perfection. Narrowing his eyes as he weighed and measured the Italian's tipsy smile, Hailama wickedly grinned. Facially they had nothing in common, but breadth of shoulder and height were exquisitely close. So very close.

Hailama's gaze casually dropped to the businessman's hands, his welcoming smile growing exponentially. There was no gold band and no evidence of there having ever been one. "Yes, very important business," he nodded in pleasure as he finalized his selection. His mark's glass was near empty. With all the time in the world, he knowingly signaled to the bartender, much to the Italian's delight.

H50

Danny was getting stronger...physically. He would be released to light duty by the end of the week following his turbulent recovery. But the emotional toll had been staggering. It had taken his 'ohana's unrelenting intervention to keep their friend from disappearing into the depths of self-hatred and overwhelming fear. The slightest trigger would ruthlessly propel the Detective into an apocalyptic technicolor film version of his daughter's abduction, or the explosion that injured Andy and periodically, the German Shepherd's take down of Steve. His mind raced with graphic details that his friend's refused to fill in for him, afraid that the additional input would only feed into their teammate's struggles. It was a balancing act that all parties were grappling to cope with. Danny most of all.

"Moved? Moved where?" Danny asked with a leery frown. "Kono? When is this going to happen?" The physician's decision to move Andy had the Detective's psyche frayed and tattered around the edges. Any mention of the younger man had repeatedly shoved Danny into a debilitating flash back of the blast. He had firmly latched onto his teammates innocent comment regarding Duke Lukela's update.

Exhaling a worried sigh, Kono was forced to carefully continue with what she'd learned in respect to Andy's ongoing medical care. "Los Angeles, to see the best ocular trauma specialists around. They're acting quickly and transferring him tomorrow, Danny."

"Tomorrow?" His stare vacantly hollow, Danny had difficulty following her continued explanation regarding the availability and as yet, untapped expertise of California-based specialists. Danny's next question was lost in an excruciatingly painful inhale. He winced as a harsh cough brought him to his knees before his teammate could stop him from slamming into the floor. Within seconds, Kono had dropped in front of him while he frantically gasped for breath. Knuckled vainly at the debilitating pain in his chest, the buzzing in his ears increased as he got precious little air into weakened lungs.

"Danny. Slowly. Slow down." He felt Kono's hands on his face and the back of his neck. But he couldn't get his traumatized thoughts under control. Rubbing ultra-light circles, she tried to soothe him in vain. As his internal fight to maintain control continued, an oxygen mask was firmly placed over his nose and mouth. The tank had been prescribed as part of the Detective's rehab, his repaired lung occasionally requiring additional support to heal. Shadowed figures miraculously appeared within his periphery vision, Kono having been seconds away from calling the EMT's. Steve and Chin had pounded into the room after hearing Kahu's frenetic alert bark in response to her handler's distress.

"Slow it down, Danny," Chin coached as he hovered just overhead. His steady hands rested reassuringly on Danny's shoulders, squeezing firmly while striving to keep him solidly in the present. Unable to focus on anything other than his desperate need to get oxygen into his lungs, his partner's demand to know what had happened unwittingly spiked the anxiety level amongst the entire team.

"LA has the best specialists…Andy won't be alone, Danny. He has to go." Kono whispered the repetitive litany while Danny futilely struggled to breathe. His seeking hand closed over her wrist; the one which now sternly held the oxygen mask in place. His fingers tightened convulsively when he desperately shook his head to disagree.

"It's too...late," he heaved as if asthmatic. Gently levered upwards by his teammates to lay back across the sofa, he lingered on his despondent lament, "I never got to see him … I never got to apologize .. it's too late." Moisture glistened over tormented azure depths as Danny desperately pleaded again with his friend, "God, Kono...I...left him...couldn't help...need to help him...please..."

Kono's beseeched gaze landed on Steve, "I'm sorry, Boss. He overheard the call I got from Duke regarding Andy's move tomorrow. I didn't realize he was in the same room when I took the call." Her heartfelt anguish for triggering another panic attack washed over both men. Kono continued to fight the feeble attempts Danny was making to push the oxygen mask from his face. Tears now trailing down her cheeks in silent remorse, she tenderly clasped both of her friend's weakly trembling hands in her own.

Scrubbing both knuckles into his eyes, Steve's finger's settled tightly into his hair while he forced his ragged anger into submission. Easing off on his senseless glare, his fingers clenched into fists as he brought himself down another notch.

"Easy Steve," Chin cautioned, fully aware that the SEAL's death stare once directed at his cousin was a protective response to Danny's hurting. Deftly sliding his cupped palm onto the back of his friend's tense neck, he calmly offered his astute backing.

Steel resolve flashed across Steve's features as he shifted his focus back onto his partner. "He's mine, Chin. He's mine and I'm going to kill him. He gets anywhere within my sights and he's a dead man."

H50

"Let's go, babe," Danny whispered to Kahu, his finger's carding through short strands of silky coat as she leaned into his attentive strokes. Not quite yet dawn, he'd given up on staying in bed. His normal rituals remained disrupted by his body's demands of odd sleeping cycles and the requirement to ingest too many medications. Coffee in hand, Danny eased out onto the lanai. Slowly traipsing further across the short grassy lawn, he gestured a release to Kahu from her heel. She excitedly bounded out to the hard packed sand, an ear turned towards her handler should he utter another command. Her ground-eating sprint into the rippling waves slowed her only slightly as she leapt into the depths of the shallows. Smirking at his dog's unencumbered delight of all things 'water', he gingerly sat surveying the ocean as thoughts tumbled through his conscious thought.

Unceasingly obsessed about his beloved daughter or Andy's potentially dire medical prognosis, Danny's gnawing worries had recently grown ten-fold. Something more was up; this time with his partner. His gut instinct's screamed that the subtle shift was entirely due to crucial information regarding Kimo Hailama. His suspicions had been prompted by Steve's demeanor while Grace had been playing on the beach during her last visit.

He'd heard the dangerous tone before. And this time, it more than frightened him. "We'll be ready." It was definitive, clearly indicating that Steve already knew more...had acquired more...and was prepared to act.

"What else," one-handed, Danny rubbed his eyes. Still fatigued, they burned for want of sleep, yet his internal anxiety was skyrocketing again. His team was unconditionally devoted to apprehending Hailama. Steve though was definitely coming to a head on the intel he had received. Danny could feel it...he could sense it. And that warning trill had kept him restlessly tossing the entire night.

H50

Steve had delayed a few days before reluctantly announcing his intent to his mending partner. When he was confident his final preparations were organized down to exceedingly intricate details, he'd packed. After quietly stowing crucial gear in the Silverado, he warily sat at the edge of the lawn next to his friend as the sun lazily chased the rippling waves onto the beach.

"You've been out here for a while?" Steve asked, after noticing the over-turned and now empty coffee mug next to the chair. Elbows on his knees, his hands loosely clasped under his chin, he turned his head slightly to critically gaze at his silent partner.

Kahu had spotted his partner's stealthy arrival, greeting the man with an exuberant shedding of the Pacific Ocean off her waterlogged coat. Gesturing her to quietly sit by his side, Danny acknowledged the SEAL's hushed appearance with a briefly raised eyebrow. Returning his thoughts to the ocean, he continued to enduringly contemplate the surf, a hand lightly placed across his Malinois' withers in console. The expectation of his friend to fess up, the Detective's thoughts swirled in annoyance at what was to come. Kahu's nervous pacing through the SEAL's supposedly stealthy preparations to depart had cued the Detective to the man's activities. Steve was leaving, he was going after Hailama...without his partner to protect his back. And that thought alone terrified Danny to no end.

"I'm going to be gone for a day or two..." Steve hesitantly challenged after various mental rehearsals of what he sought to communicate failed him.

The vexation surrounding Danny deepened, Kahu raising her head to scrutinize her handler's well being. Nosing his displaced hand, she snuffed softly into his palm. "What are you planning, Steven?" his question fraught with immediate cautionary anger.

The Commander sighed. Unconsciously chewing on his lip as any number of ridiculously defiant words rolled through his head, he opted for simplicity. Also taking immediate refuge in the plain fact that his flight would be leaving in just slightly over one hour, "I have to go." Gracefully rising to his feet, he offered Kahu a soft smile as her head followed his upward movement. Dropping his gaze from her inquisitive study of his features, he remorsefully met his friend's confused, torrid eyes. There was no sense in lying; he owed Danny more courtesy than that. But until his objective was complete, the details remained Steve's own, "I have to do this, Danno. I'll be back in a day or two...maybe three."

Fists clenched unconsciously, Steve stood there stonily waiting for his friend's anticipated gruff reply. It never came. That fact alone gave additional credence to his crucial mission. He nodded, more for himself, concealing his irritation in the events of the past month before giving Danny's forearm a gentle squeeze. "You know the drill, brah. The house is under twenty-four seven surveillance until this is over. Kono or Chin will be by later." And with that, Steve was gone.

H50

His friend's swift departure left Danny in an emotional lurch as unmitigated disquiet rebounded throughout his system. Rising smoothly to her feet, Kahu gently placed her head on Danny's lap. Her steady, confident gaze met the half lidded tempest brewing in her handler's eyes. Sighing in resignation, his barely audible praise of "'gut' girl" promptly tried to quell the storm.

Tumultuous feelings oddly making him inactive, he strangled an intake of air through his lungs. His eyes frenetically darted from Kahu's steady gaze to the brilliantly glowing sunrise and then back to the intently demanding Malinois. Nose pointedly buried under his inattentive forearm while she settled more deeply into Danny's personal space, she nudged harder to gain his attention. Earnestly striving to tamp down his body's physical reactions to the emotionally painful declaration of his partner, a subtle tremble ran through to his finger tips while he buried them in Kahu's thick ruff. When his breathing stuttered softly in his chest, his focus wandered off his heedful ministrations. Another forceful bump admonished his oversight as he began to doubt his ability to over-power his body's increasing physical reaction. He then missed his dog's subtle physical transition as ear's shifted towards the approaching soft footsteps.

"Kahu, 'fuss'." Danny's subconscious abruptly demanded he move, assaulting his beleaguered body into a stumbled bid to gain his footing with Kahu at a heel. Unexpectedly, he felt a light touch brush against his shoulder.

"Take it easy, Danny." Kono gently guided him back down to sit, winking slyly to the persuasively attending Malinois. As he had hardly regained his feet, he willingly acquiesced to her encouragement. "Chin's meeting first boss at the airport. He's not going alone no matter what he might have thought."

The cocky lilt to her voice instantly caused Danny's internal tension to pause, his mind catching up with Kono's shared information.

"He's not going to approve." Danny slowly blinked, nodding in approval before he allowed a sense of relief to flood his system. Heart still solidly thudding in his chest, he managed a steadier, slightly more deep lungful of air.

"Their leaving was news for me too, Danny. But Chin has it covered." Kono folded her lean body into a sit next to his side. Opposite them, Kahu stretched out comfortably with her powerful legs splayed lazily in the manicured lawn.

"Besides, Chin doesn't require Steve's approval, brah." She noted coyly while astutely measuring her burdened friend's overall complexion. "He's already at the gate with ticket in hand."

Angered at first by what her cousin had told her that morning, Kono knew that Steve had merely sought to keep them all protected from what may prove to be a wild goose-chase. His primary, misguided goal had been to keep them all rallied around Danny in case his leads were erroneous. In case Kimo Hailama was closer at hand than anyone realized.

While the cousins respected their boss' rationalization, his team completely disagreed. More so, Chin wisely knew that the SEAL's independent actions would only compound his friend's emotional turmoil. Knowingly gazing up from her seated position, Kono encircled Danny's hand with her own.

"So, what did Steve find? Where are they going?" His question indicated the terseness of Steve's departure. It substantiated the angry distress she had first felt through Danny's shoulder.

Initially shaking her head in chagrin, "Steve's not the best with using his words sometimes." Then wittingly smirking at the partner's old jest, she chuckled, "He's so worried about saying or doing the wrong thing that he didn't tell you anything, did he?"

Though not by design, Kono's timing and responses were impeccable. Danny forced himself to sink further into the depths of the chair. His relaxed shift caused an expressive thump of his Malinois' feathered tail as if in approval.

"I think he tried." A wry smile gently tugged at his lips at the thought of his own words. "But no. He wasn't exactly very forthcoming with the details."

"Chin has been digging all week. It's not only Steve who might have connections, brah." Kono grinned at the tiny lift her words provided to the clear the cloud creasing Danny's face.

"According to Chin, there's chatter that Rodney Malanueka has taken up residence in Sydney, Australia. FBI intel came through about a week ago and Steve's been running it through the mill like a dog with a bone."

"Australia?" Danny breathed in confusion.

Kono nodded before continuing, "It does look promising. And Chin's been keeping an eye on a few things." By stressing the word _'things'_, Danny knew that she was referring to Steve in particular. Her cousin had been tracking the stubborn man to see what he might act upon. Basically, it was a simple enough task to determine when Steve confirmed his travel plans. The thought that Chin would have his partner's back released the remaining tension from Danny's shoulders.

Squeezing his hand once, Kono got him to smile. "It's under control, Danny. Completely."

**~to be continued~**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Yes, it has to be said again because it is true (Um...no, it's not. TheDogo is taking posting prerogative here. Because if there's any blame to be had at the delayed posting, it falls directly in TheDogo's lap). Irene Claire's bad bad evil muses needed to be slammed into submission (Irene Claire's evil muses, TheDogo's angst driven ones). They had issues with playing nicely with other kind-hearted muses (they...as in plural). Therefore, we both thank you all for your patience as some concessions were granted and compromises made. Cattle prods were employed and keys to cages have been duly thrown away so that this story can happily progress forward now! Special thanks to JazzyG and CinderH for their talents and patience. German Translation: 'Gut'/Good. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 21**

Fifteen hours after leaving his partner emotionally reeling on the beach, Steve stared in disbelieving shock at the New South Wales Police Force Deputy Commissioner. He felt as if he'd been effectively sucker-punched. Chin mirrored his rigid posture if not the tangible anger oozing from his pores.

Steve's promise to Danny that the cousins would check in on him proved only partially correct. While Kono was reassuringly informing Danny of the new stratagem, her cousin had been calmly waiting for their boss at the airport with sparse gear in hand. The SEAL's devoted silence to the Hailama debacle had tipped off his observant friend. Chin was minimally one step behind the man in his circumspect research; guessing his final plans had been relatively easy. Briefly advising Kono of his departure, he unnecessarily demanded her presence at Steve's house to stay with Danny. His perceived rational presence with their Neanderthal friend would ease the injured man's mind. And as further validation to his decision, Chin had his own buried feelings of retribution to contend with. For all these reasons, the SEAL's angered tirade had washed over the older man as a gentle wave with nary a disturbance to the surface. He was going, regardless of his friend's brusque words or threatened actions. Danny was 'ohana. He owed the man this.

"He's dead?" Steve blurted the two words into the air from across the man's desk. The suspicion and incredulity rolling off of both men baffled the Sydney Senior Officer. Miller Owens had been NSW's Deputy Commissioner for over eight years. He thought he had seen and heard it all. That is until these recent murders reared their ugly heads forcing two irate Five-0 Officers to arrive on his proverbial front doorstep. When the two men locked discerning scowls in a silent exchange of knowledge, he dared to come to his own conclusion.

"I assume you don't believe our preliminary findings," Owens frowned in dissatisfaction. He was clearly not used to being doubted.

"Not only don't we believe them…your preliminary findings are utterly ridiculous." Steve's forced statement remained even keeled, though his rising temper threatened to overpower the room as he rose from his seated position opposite the man in emphasis. "Our combined intelligence...the FBI...your own department's initial findings..." Sputtering in frustration over his stumbled phrasing, Steve clenched the edge of the man's desk as he vainly fought to keep his voice at a reasonable level. "All indicators prove Hailama is here. Alive. Living under an assumed alias."

"Yes, well, he had been. However, now it appears as if he's dead," the Commissioner defiantly countered.

Angrily rapping the man's desk with both of his knuckles as he lurched to his feet, Chin spun his back towards the man. Placing a stilling hand on the SEAL's shoulder for both their benefit, he chuffed a disputed objection just under his breath at Owen's ongoing rebuttal.

"My department is dealing with a serial killer." Narrowing his eyes to the challenge being lobbed in his direction, the Deputy Commissioner growled out his own warning of sorts as he faced off against the two men.

"I can see...you aren't quite convinced. I fully understand your reticence too. But based upon Hailama's crimes and what he's done to two of our global communities, this is not an easy story to swallow." The commissioner offered the concession carefully, once more wrapping his arms around his sturdy body. "As with the two other murders, our medical examiner is not entirely conclusive in his findings. The body was found almost thirty hours ago after the fire department extinguished the blaze; it was doused with kerosene and torched quite severely..." Sucking in a defiant breath of his own, Owens shared the evidence that they had; what his department was being forced to deal with. "I don't think you understand our position gentlemen. We have a serial killer on our hands...our own medical…"

"But you found identification?" Interrupting, Chin muttered his question once more in disgust against the Deputy Commissioner's stance. Chin's challenge continued with his next snide comment, "If so badly torched, why is the identification still perfectly intact?"

"Exactly. You also keep using the word preliminary...so none of this is conclusive." Steve aggressively shoved out with another meaningful look towards Chin. "Hailama set this up...it's a game to him...we need to see the apartment he rented."

The man actually blushed as if the evidence was his fault, yet he only had what his people were showing him. "The credentials are hardly perfect due to the fire. However, what we have so far seems to support that Kimo Hailama, also known as Rodney Malunkea, has been murdered."

Owens held his hand up to forestall another outburst from the two men. Through the closed door of his office, the Commissioner knew his own officers were on their feet as they anxiously watched the growing spectacle through the glass window. "His death mirrors two others that we have been investigating over the last many weeks. Our Coroner has tentatively provided identification pointing to that of Kimo Hailama, the victim."

Miller Owens was forced to stop speaking as a sneer settled across Steve's face. "Victim? You have no idea whom you're dealing with," Steve spat with a new level of venom.

Nostrils flared, Owens set his jaw firmly while gauging the Five-0 Commander's demeanor. New doubts entered his own head as the two men argued and lobbied against his preliminary reported findings.

Clearing his throat, Owens continued slowly, "I sent a team to Hailama's apartment once the initial results were determined. For all intents and purposes, it's been empty for three days now and none of his neighbors have seen him of late."

"He did this. He orchestrated it down to the last refined detail," Steve ground out. Feeling sick to his stomach, he reluctantly sat back down, fighting the urge to bury his face in his hands. "Almost three damned days...three, Chin. He could be anywhere; we need to increase protective details back on Oahu; maybe move Danny to a safe house."

Besides using Naval intelligence contacts, Steve had called in additional favors to uncover more details regarding Hailama's possible movements. Investigating the man under a finite number of potentially assumed identities, the net had been widened. A visual sighting in Sydney was corroborated by an FBI liaison who substantiated the presence of Rodney Maunakea at a local hotel. Five days later, Maunakea rented his small apartment. With the willing assistance of New South Wales police, additional data was soon delivered into the Commander's greedy fingers to further his justifiable course of action in coming to Australia.

"This is impossible." What Steve was being told now, made no sense. His mind swirled in confusion as if delirious. "It's totally impossible. He's too smart and he did this purposefully...he's on the move."

"Agreed." Chin was adamant in his demand, "We need to see his apartment. Right now. Who can get us there?"

Owens immediately acknowledged the statement before it could be completed, "I'll take you myself." Eagerly pushing them from his office, the Commissioner drove them directly to the cordoned off front entrance of the first floor one-bedroom flat. Immediately upon entry into the living room, there was no doubt that the place had been empty for the past few days. Already dusty and pedestrian by design, there was precious little usable evidence in view. Angrily searching through closets, dressers and what little clothes Hailama had abandoned, Steve's forceful search resounded throughout the tiny apartment. But it was Chin who assertively turned on the Deputy Commissioner when he heard the roar of a diesel engine in the back of the building.

"Did you remove any refuse, papers or garbage from in here for forensic purposes?" Chin asked, already swiftly moving through the short hallway to the rear of the residence when Owens negatively shook his head.

"There was one wastebasket...nothing more. My people found nothing of note. Wait...what are you doing?" But Chin was gone out the back door and down the three scant steps, rounding on the city workers who were beginning to dump the contents of the large metal container into the depths of their rig.

"Crime scene!" Chin barked at the men, forcing them to hydraulically drop the large container hurriedly back into place. "When did you pick up last?" Pointedly opening the driver's door, he sharply indicated the man to exit from the vehicle.

"Monday." The garbage truck's driver confusingly raised his hands in submission as he jumped down from the seat. "We pick up on Monday's and Friday's."

"Not today." Skidding up to his teammate's side from a harried sprint, Steve noted the day while garnering Chin an appreciative look for his intuitive streak. He turned to Owens, but the Deputy Commissioner was already acting on cordoning off the dumpster and contacting Sydney forensics.

"We'll go through it immediately," Owens confirmed when he picked up on the urgency emanating from the two men. "Fine tooth comb...if something is to be had, my forensics team is one of the best."

Still fighting a high tide of emotions, Steve grit his teeth with a tight nod of thanks for Owens' cooperation. He was running on fumes; every corner turned continued to yield hollow losses.

His mind then urgently rebounding to his previous statement that the ex-officer was on the move, his thoughts rapidly skipped to their next necessary strategy. "If not a safe house, I want more protection," Steve muttered to himself through tightly clenched fingers before relaxing enough to yank his cell phone out of a cargo pants pocket. The difference between time zones was substantial; he'd be asking Kono to make the move at night. But he was desperate. Sleep deprivation contributed to the graphic images that placed his recovering partner back in Hailama's hands on Hawaiian soil, while he was now thousands of miles away.

"No, it has to be a safe house." The horror rising in his chest was overwhelming as he raised his cell phone looking to Chin for confirmation. His friend's face was clouded with similar trepidation based on the vagueness of Sydney's findings. The evidence felt entirely wrong, the ex-canine officer was still out there.

"Call Kono. She'll get it done," Chin's hissed in concurrence. If Hailama had gone back, it would have been an extremely risky move. But they couldn't afford to second-guess his methods. Chin was completely frustrated by the man's ability to stay more than one step ahead of them at every juncture. "How the hell is he moving so damned fast?"

It would take them more than ten hours to return by air. The two men were floundering in a rising tide of powerless anguish while they simultaneously checked their watches. It was three-thirty Friday afternoon Sydney time, making it seven-thirty in the evening the previous day in Oahu. Chin restlessly listened as Steve anxiously made his demands to Kono, flinching when Steve barked fearfully into the phone, "Get him off the beach! Now!" Eyes dark with worry, Steve stared in horror at Chin. "God Kono, get him out of my place. Keep a small confidence and move. Now!"

H50

Frantically ending the shocking call with her boss, Kono instantly prioritized her tasks as she dashed out of Steve's kitchen. Danny had just left with Kahu for a short walk on the private beach behind the SEAL's home. "Danny!" Grateful that he'd barely gotten a few yards from the lanai, she firmly redirected him back inside. "Get inside, call Kahu to you. We have a problem, brah."

Contacting Sergeant Duke Lukela, she privately relayed Steve's standing orders to intensify the police detail and define two safe houses. Demanding that Lukela personally remain with the Edwards in one, she would be remaining with Danny as his primary contact. Her subsequent directive was to update the existing APB with current known information on Hailama. The additional aliases of Ron Hanson and Rodney Malunakea were to be added. Within four minutes, she had the entire police network re-engaged with her sweeping increase in protection across the board.

Stunned at his friend's frenetic edicts, Danny was unable to react until she tightly latched onto his shoulder. "Danny, move!" She shouted over Duke's final queries, persistently coaxing his reluctant body into motion.

Scarcely managing to focus sufficiently to call his dog back to his side, Danny felt sweat beginning to soak into the back of his shirt. "He's back," the whispered declaration barely managed to slip through stiffened lips. His fingers automatically found purchase in Kahu's soft scruff as she pressed against his left leg in her arrival at the heel. Behind him, Kono's hand shifted to between his dampened shoulder blades while she purposefully guided him back into the house. Her active scan of the area sent chills down his spine as his anxiety level ratcheted up another level.

"He might be Danny...Steve's not sure. This is entirely precautionary, but we have to get you to a safe house." Pinpricks of light darted behind his eyes when he mutely nodded. His gut began swirling with increasing nausea as Kono reassured him that Grace, Rachel and the remainder of their family would be safely ensconced under similar circumstances. Within forty-five minutes, Kono hastily placed their repacked belongings into a commandeered police issued SUV. Two additional HPD SUV's and a SWAT team vehicle sat in Steve's driveway ready to move. SWAT officers had saturated Steve's home, putting the Detective further on edge as he valiantly fought to keep the walls from closing in on him.

"When will they get back? Steve and Chin." Danny struggled to follow Kono's rapid pacing as she finalized last minute preparations.

"They have a flight out tomorrow morning. It's the best they can do right now at short notice," she distractedly informed him. The arrival of the SSD Training Commander, requested by Duke Lukela, required her attention.

The twelve hour delay followed by a long ten-hour flight sucked Danny's breath from his lungs. Closing his eyes, he placed trembling hands on his knees as he fought harder to gain ground on his body's visceral response to his 'ohana being splintered. "Too long. It's too far; they'll never get back in time."

An angry growl of frustration rose up through his chest at his body's betrayal. Kahu's circling of his bent stature forcibly filtered into his awareness. He was setting his dog off as his agitation rose to new heightened levels. He needed to shut it down, block out the swirling memories of fists and storage units that continued to plague him. With a vice like grip, he mercilessly slammed his graphic memories into a compact little box in the back of his mind. Further forcing himself upright was a herculean effort that cost him greatly. He'd pay for it all later, he knew that.

"I got this, it's okay Kahu. 'Gut' girl, I got this." Gesturing her back to the heel, he gently fingered her ears as Kono signaled they were ready to leave.

H50

Following Danny's near stutter-stop, Kono's diligent backing had allowed him to regain his footing. He'd spoken to Duke to ensure the safety of the Edwards family, specifically his young daughter Grace. He'd rallied, offering his scared little girl reassurances that HPD and SWAT were ensuring her families safety. Her Uncle Steve and Uncle Chin would be back in a couple of days. As his precious responsibility crawled into bed, his heartfelt response of 'Danno loves you' put her final fears to rest as she slipped off to sleep.

Ultimately, his surge of secondary adrenaline collapsed after harried hours of meticulous planning and urgent backup strategies had been implemented. Kono's concern skyrocketed as Danny's inevitable push to make sure his daughter was secure forced his system to finally jilt his determination to remain upright. Trembling with exhaustion, he unexpectedly sagged against the corridor wall. Eventually getting him settled in the rear bedroom of the safe house, Kahu softly positioned herself beside his bed. Kono grinned as her friend's shaking hand flopped over the edge of the mattress to rest against the dog's withers.

Placing her palm on his forehead, she frowned as heat poured off of him in waves, "You're pushing too hard, brah. I've got this, you need to rest."

Mere blue slits opened as his unoccupied hand rested on her forearm and gently squeezed, "I'm good."

Kono could feel the tremors racking along his spine, knowing that he would continue to demand more from himself if she couldn't get him to stay put. Desperate to sit by his side with Kahu, she sighed when she noted the SSD Commander was signaling to her that they needed to talk. The man had tried to talk with her earlier, but she hadn't had the time. Danny had needed to be moved.

Showing his own burgeoning signs of discomfort, the Commander's reasoning for disturbing the young Five-0 member again was based upon his personal experiences with Kimo Hailama.

Kono's venture to initiate an unnoticed move off the edge of the bed caused Danny to increase his grip on her arm, "I'm just going to talk with the SSD Commander Danny. I'll be back in a second. Just rest." Briefly resting her hand on his shoulder, she signaled the Commander out to the hallway.

Kono's single invitation was all the man needed, "This move is a mistake." The SSD Commander had an investment in what transpired next; a strong one. He'd been actively pursuing Hailama's removal from SSD for years, for more time than Five-0 had been involved with the K9 Unit. One of his own Officers had attempted to murder two others. In his own eyes, the ex-canine Officer was still his responsibility. Firmly entrenched in the ongoing discussions once Sergeant Duke Lukela had informed him Hailama could be on Hawaiian soil, he had his own vested interest in having Kimo Hailama apprehended.

"Why is this a mistake?" Kono asked as patiently as possible. The home had been identified by Duke himself. Appearing as an open market rental, it's simple layout was perfect for their scheme to keep their Detective and Malinois safe.

"I know Hailama; I've known him for years." Kono's raised eyebrows at his statement hit a nerve. He realized what he had said was an oxymoron of sorts, since obviously, the SSD Commander hadn't truly known the depths of the man's depravity. "Just...listen," he insisted. "He's going to expect this...a safe house...it's too predictable. I personally don't think this is the best place to keep Detective Williams safe from that...monster. He thinks like a cop; has the wherewithal to be one step ahead because he knows what to expect. He's going to recognize exactly what we'd do in this situation. He'll play that against us."

Kono's deep breath held for a prolonged count before she slowly expelled it with a thoughtful nod. She glanced through the open doorway at her decidedly drained teammate, his fingers lax as his lids had finally closed in submission to his body's demands. "Danny needs time to recover; this move was hard on him. And if this safe house isn't the answer, then we need more options." More than willing to listen to the experienced knowledge from the Commander, she saw the reasoning behind the questioned logistics. But her friend was in no current shape to be suddenly displaced, the emotional stress alone could tilt his health in another downward spiral.

"He's been a step ahead from the get-go. Hailama is going to use our own policies and procedures against us." The SSD Commander was insistent as he gained unresisted ground with the young Five-0 officer.

"He's desperate. He'll check flight options and be forced to disregard them. He'll get angry and he's going to make mistakes eventually. We need to be smarter this time because he thinks we won't be," he confirmed.

"Okay, I obviously agree with you. But that doesn't change the fact that Danny can't handle another move right now." Moving silently back into the room, she lay her hand gently on his forehead. He barely flinched in protest as he settled more firmly into a deep sleep. He was still too hot, he needed more time. "It's late, we give Danny the night to get some rest. We decide where to go next after he's had a chance to catch up." Checking her watch, Kono tugged her fingers through her hair roughly as she tried to convince herself, "Besides, Hailama may not be here at all."

**~to be continued~**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Enjoy!_

**Chapter 22**

Utterly content, Kimo Hailama sat back onto the plush sofa in the expensive hotel suite. Mr. Angelo Rossi had blessed him multiple times over, beginning with the simplicity of the man's name. "Angelo," Hailama uttered under his breath, a wicked grin firmly etched into his features.

Orchestrating the homicide of the unsuspecting Italian had been remarkably simple. Before his brutal murder, Hailama had devoured every given aspect of Rossi's personal joie de vivre. The man was single, living the careless life of a wealthy businessman. He resided in Rome, working for a large communications company which required extensive travel. Often away for weeks on end, he'd never been to Australia and had wheedled his way into gaining another full week off to enjoy personal vacation time. Already drunkenly flushed, the two men had spent hours together partaking in a rollicking good time. The decisive move to another bar had Hailama virtually carrying a purposefully drugged and overly intoxicated Angelo Rossi from its premises. The two had eventually faded unnoticed into a darkened alley; by then, his mark was nearly comatose. The kill had been a pleasant rush.

Pilfering through the dead man's pockets scored Rossi's ample wallet, hosting over one thousand Euro and another eight hundred Australian dollars. Three credit cards, the man's formal credentials and his exclusive hotel key completed Hailama's earnings for the evening. Stripping the man, he exchanged the large majority of the man's clothing for his own. While the slacks were a bit loose, Rossi's fine Italian jacket was a near perfect fit. His only complication was the man's shoes. The custom leather fit was painfully too small for his feet. Later he would continue experimenting with the man's fine tailored clothing. The extravagant shoes, however, would be replaced with a like pair to match his new lifestyle. For all that he'd gained, he could easily cope with that basic requirement.

Now barefoot and cocooned in a luxurious black robe, Hailama snuggled his shoulders into the couch soothingly. He'd just returned from the hotel's lavish spa where he'd been pampered and catered to for hours. The only thought marring his newfound luxury and peace was Williams' survival. With an effort, Hailama expunged his vengeance temporarily from his mind to bask in the continued after-effects of the first massage he'd ever actually had. He could easily understand the blissful need for them now. Contentedly numb, he closed his eyes while listening to the music lulling softly in the background. Yes, Mr. Angelo Rossi was a lucky man, which by default, graced Kimo Hailama's neatly ordered world.

He knowingly smiled following the reverent whisper of his new name to the empty room while his gaze wandered appreciatively to the hotel room's personal safe. While Mr. Rossi led a pleasant and fulfilling existence, he was also vain and predictable. A fact easily proven when he had set the safe's code to his own birth date. Hailama was still breathlessly crimson with pleasure after finding a wealth of travelers cheques, a beautiful gold watch, the man's official passport, along with return plane tickets to Rome, Italy on Emirates Airlines scheduled four days hence. But what excited him most...no, actually enticed his overpowering nature...was Mr. Rossi's stop-over on his long return trip home. The lay-over nearly trumped his desire to destroy Williams, giving him a real opportunity to simply fade away. Almost trumped...but not quite.

Kimo sucked in a rattled angry breath of air before refocusing on the plane tickets. Once again Angelo Rossi provided him with a gift that would set him up with the resources to devise a precise strategy. Reaching over to thumb through the small pamphlet, he depravedly smiled. Wondering if the man had had business in Dubai or if the emirate's northern coastline was another leg to a provocative extended vacation, he shrugged unconcernedly. Dubai was an international financial and cultural hub where Hailama could seamlessly blend in as the refined businessman, Mr. Angelo Rossi. His scheme could be forged there, not dependent on timetables or pressures of the hunted. No matter how long he took to fine-tune his design, he would be coming out of the darkness when Williams least expected it.

H50

Forced to return to their hotel while Sydney forensics took over the contents of the dumpster, both Five-0 men were wracked by exhaustive frenetic energy. Steve relentlessly paced until he constrained his ragged motion to a halt at the large windows, staring pensively into the night.

"We should get Max out here to help the Sydney Coroner." Chin had been mulling the idea for the last hour, finally voicing it as a sound concept. He and Steve instinctively knew the body was not that of Kimo Hailama. The only way to possibly prove that would be for a second set of eyes and skilled hands to assist those locally. Their own Oahu-based Medical Examiner, Doctor Max Bergman, could easily resolve any ongoing questions or issues for all of them. The agreeable grunt from the opposite side of the hotel room made Chin smile.

"Obviously, Max has greater access to Hailama's personal files. His knowledge base of the man would complement the local Coroner's work here. Offer more value with the wide scope of fires and the other two murder victims," Chin added. Based on the suddenly interested slant to Steve's shoulders, he knew the idea would now come to fruition. He certainly didn't need to convince his friend about the intelligence of the concepts.

"It's a great idea, Chin." The aggrieved sigh finally held words as Steve remained standing lost in thought. He was decidedly more distracted as he gazed out the hotel window into the city lights.

"I'll get it done," Chin confirmed before frowning at the man's stiff posture. His own features were pensive while he studied the tension in his friend. "Danny's in good hands, Steve."

"Agreed," Steve breathed out with a firm nod. "He won't have taken this well. Maybe I should call them...talk to Kono...see how Danny's doing," Steve muttered into the glass sliders overlooking the downtown city lights. Barely containing the crushing rage threatening to overtake him, Steve knew that his partner would have had a great deal of difficulty coping with the move to a safe house. Not only for himself, but also for his daughter. The emotional toll of an active Kimo Hailama was worsening.

"He's always one step ahead of us. Always." Hatefully, Steve bit the words out in frustration. The futility of being unable to act tore at him constantly as he imagined Danny's reaction to Hailama possibly being back on Hawaiian soil. Deputy Commissioner Miller Owens had justly accepted their doubts and was doing what he could to to prove their theories. However, both Five-0 men had reached their conclusion without needing more. What they wanted now was to know precisely where the ex-officer was and what he had planned next.

"Damn it, Chin." Scrubbing through his hair harshly with his finger tips, Steve pressed his forehead onto the cold glass. Slowly closing eyes which felt like burned out husks, he sighed. He and Chin had been on their feet for nearly twenty-two hours. As the stress piled higher, they continued to push in the fruitless search for answers and the elusive ex-K9 officer. Both were beside themselves with the fear that in trying to prevent a catastrophe, they had inadvertently placed their friends in grave danger.

"We should try and get some rest." Chin's voice was roughened by sleep deprivation and tension. He had insisted on ordering room service but they'd each only picked through tasteless dinners. He wasn't surprised when he didn't receive an answer for his second suggestion, yet they needed to stay sharp. Without sleep, regardless of where Hailama showed his face, his takedown would only disintegrate if they weren't on the top of their game.

"Steve, seriously. I'll call Max at a more reasonable hour to get him out here. He doesn't require us being here, he just needs working orders on what we want him to do." Verbally pulling the restless man from the window, Chin insisted that they at least make the attempt to sleep. Becoming more adamant while he settled himself on one of the beds, "Danny's in good hands. We can't do anything here but wait. Owens will call us immediately if his team finds anything of value."

"Yeah. But I'm calling them first," Steve worriedly retorted. Turning from the window with his hands determinedly placed on his hips, his decisive features twitched at Chin's quizzical expression and subtle smirk. "What?"

"Not a thing." The wry grin and shrug was chuffed knowingly as Chin shook his head. "Of course you are. Get it over with then."

Fully clothed, Steve finally acquiesced to sink into the bed closest to the door. Leaning back, his forearm draped over his eyes while he fumbled blindly for his cell phone. "It's eight o'clock here. What time is it there?" Steve asked before hitting the speed dial. By habit and possibly by desire, he'd called up Danny's direct number.

Chin groaned as he did the math in his head, "Midnight, Steve."

His friend's words prompted a slight hesitation, but only for a split second as Steve engaged the call. Crucial to his own well being, his partner's safety and the knowledge that the transition had run smoothly would ease his vigilant mind.

"Hey. Danny." Instantly sitting up, Steve was startlingly caught off guard when his call was answered on the first ring. Glancing once at Chin, he managed a pleased grin, "Sorry for the time, brah. You okay?"

H50

Folded into the bed, Danny slept hard for a few hours before groggily rousing to soft conversation. Bleary-eyed, he took stock of the room he occupied, making note of Kahu's soundly sleeping form on the floor by his side. He was alone but the door had been cocked open, filtering the hallway's harsh lighting through the defined space of the lintel. The murmur of conversations were coming from the safe house's small kitchen. Pausing, he waited to recognize Kono's voice humming in the hushed mix. Rolling to his side, he fumbled for his cell phone that had been left next to his holstered weapon on the night-stand.

His eyes widened in surprise as his cell vibrated the moment his finger-tips touched the device. "Steve?" he murmured as a brief rush of worry ran through his system. He hit the accept icon just as the first alert died, relieved to hear only a contrite apology for the hour. Then he was rolling his eyes at his partner's next question as he checked the time.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" The slight absurdity of the inquiry caused Danny to breathlessly chuckle.

"If you wanted me to sleep, why are you calling me at midnight?" Danny casually replied as he squirmed more upright. The silence on the other end was artfully brief, the Detective swearing he could hear Chin's soft chuckle from the other end. Obviously, their Hawaiian friend had easily guessed the snide response.

"Fine, Danno." Steve was smirking; Danny could envision his friend's features and the ease of his shoulders over the transmitted signal. "How is everything there?"

"Oh, you know how it goes." Picking at the blankets, Danny shrugged in acceptance, "There wasn't enough to worry about, so off to a safe house we all go."

There was no laughter in kind; not a single hint of amusement. In fact, the pause was apologetic as Steve lowered his voice. "We had him...I swear we had him. He orchestrated this down to an abduction of some poor soul who closely resembled him physically. NSW is...or was convinced it was Hailama. But we're sure Danny...we had him and he slipped away again."

"But we'll get him." Entirely serious, Danny closed his eyes in determination, "He's going to make a mistake; we'll get him. One step at a time, Steven. No matter how long it takes." His unyielding assurance was met with a grunt of acknowledgement; hesitant acceptance from his partner. The SEAL's resolute determination that somehow he had failed to keep his 'ohana safe filtering through the affirmation.

Steve heaved out a solid exhale of unease before ending the call, "We'll be back sometime tomorrow. Keep your head down, partner."

"Always do," Danny muttered through a grin. His voice had roused Kahu from her sleep, lifting her head in inquisition. Her handler's quiet calm indicated a status quo as he pushed his cell back to its original position on the nightstand. Under his breath, Danny repeated himself for his dog's benefit alone, "Always do. Isn't that right, babe?"

He lay back for a few more seconds as his dog's gaze intensified. Kahu was waiting for her handler's signifier that he remembered causing Danny to laugh softly when he made the connection. His reaction had her up in an instant, before he could swing his legs off the bed. "Alright. Yes, I did forget. Sorry, girl. Let's go find out where your kibble got packed off to, yes?" He chortled in earnest at her play bow response, spinning easily to bounce next to him with eagerness, not once leaving his side. "Alright already you beast, I'm coming...I'm coming."

Kono looked up from the table where she was sitting with the SSD Commander. "You okay?" she asked, critically measuring him from head to toe as Danny shuffled into the kitchen.

"Yup. Steve just called…he checked in." The manner in which Danny had said it made Kono grin wickedly up at him, but she wisely held her tongue. "I told him that everything was under control." Their boss...no, their friend...was more than rankled by being so far removed as Hailama once again seemed to have gained the upper hand. It was also obvious that Danny had not mentioned his small unraveling which had momentarily taken him off his feet.

"Good," Kono breezily noted while cocking her head at Kahu's expressive eyes. "I'll take her, Danny. Her kibble is still in the SUV. Go get something to eat; there's food in the refrigerator. From what I remember, you missed dinner." Then crossing her arms with another frown completely for the Malinois' sake, she tapped her foot in mock disgust, "And this poor girl, too, I might add!"

The SSD Commander raised his eyebrows at their antics, Danny's face flushing in chagrin. He was utterly embarrassed as he dramatically winced at the older man's disapproving expression. Forgetting to feed himself was one thing, but Kahu's care was an entirely different state of affairs.

"Uh, yeah...please. Thanks, Kono." Motioning for Kahu to move along at will, Danny traded her off to Kono's competent care.

"Eat, Danny," she reminded her duly chastised friend. "I've got her...she's fine, brah." Kono winked, as the two eagerly bounded from the room in search of the Malinois' dinner.

H50

"He sound alright?" Hearing half the conversation, Chin gauged Steve's ease of expression. Relieved by his friend's contented body language and slight nod of the affirmative, he tacitly responded, "Good." He dimmed the lights to cue they get a few determined hours of sleep. Minutes later, he turned onto his side. In the filtered dim lighting of the night sky, he measured the subtle rise and fall of Steve's chest. Pleased to see that his friend's turbulent thoughts that had been unrelentingly marching through his mind had quieted. The SEAL's body's need for rest had finally won out.

Their sleep was short-lived when Chin's cell phone chimed, nearly vibrating off the small hotel room's nightstand located between the two beds.

"What's that?" Steve mumbled as Chin's hand darted out to snag the illuminated screen's bright flare.

"Lieutenant Kelly," Chin hissed his name out as he wedged the phone to his ear. It was just after three o'clock in the morning.

"I'm calling as promised," Deputy Commissioner Owens reported. "I'm sending a car over to your hotel now. We think we have something and need your expertise."

"Got it." Chin slammed the lights on as Steve fully roused to the new sense of urgency in the room. Glassy-eyed, the SEAL's body responded instantly to Chin's demanding signal as the man rolled to his feet. Steve was only a half-second behind.

"Owens?" Steve asked as they scurried for the hotel room door.

Chin nodded as he scooped up the hotel pass key and ushered Steve from the room. "His team has something. He's sent a car for us. Let's go."

**~ to be continued ~**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer:** Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Special thanks to CinderH for the fantastic news report! Enjoy!_

**Chapter 23**

"Newspapers?" Steve quirked an eyebrow at the Australian Forensic Services Group Lead Investigator for the Crime Scene Operations Branch (CSOB). Still white-gloved, Arnie Moskowitz slid numerous scorched papers across the large desk under Steve's nose. Arnie was exhausted, but earnestly jubilant with their find while he anxiously awaited the two Five-0 Officers to realize what they were seeing and then, concur.

"Three months' worth of local news reports to be exact," Arnie pointed out as he lay each out perfectly from left to right. "The notes in the margins are not ordinary. I think this is what we were all looking for though...I'm sure this will solve at least one of our riddles."

Silently, Chin donned gloves to page through what had been laid out in order by date. By the time he hit the third article, he was smiling in agreement. Individual handwritten notes, sloppily made circles or hand-drawn check marks tied together NSW-related news articles, reports and blotter updates. All the evidence was related entirely to the two prior fires and police findings related to the badly burned bodies.

One article in particular had distinct key identifiers underlined that were related to the abandoned apartment buildings, the arson, and the use of kerosene as an incendiary. The margin held more notes smudged by liquid from the trash, but the letters were quite legible. The address for one of the destroyed apartment buildings was undeniable.

"He created a profile and then a copy-cat persona." Chin was astounded by Hailama's deceptive creativity. "He was researching this as if he was the police profiler analyzing the killer or killers. But for an entirely different purpose."

"He orchestrated the arson and the third murder so we would assume that he'd been killed. Essentially, he tried to kill himself off...along with his half-brother's alias. He wanted to keep NSW Police Force busy and then throw us all off so he could assume yet another identity." Absorbing the details and committing each to memory, Steve was as shocked as Chin.

Hailama had almost pulled the decoy off by the original sheer lack of evidence to prove otherwise. Only Five -0's combined words threw doubt on the initial findings causing NSWPF to pause. Chin's determined quick thinking to salvage the contents of the dumpster substantiating their base claims, pushing local authorities in a new direction.

Arnie was pleased with the two men's final assessment of his team's tenacious effort. The evidence didn't alleviate their ongoing investigation, but it certainly filled unresolved gaps and better defined the third arson. NSWPF was unremittingly searching for a serial killer; and while they still had one on their hands, Five-0 was becoming crucial in identifying a frightening copy-cat murder. The third arson and body would be handled differently now. No longer a stumbling block or distraction as the ex-canine officer had so designed.

"This Kimo Hailama," Arnie asked, tentatively, "he could and would do something like this then?"

"Absolutely. He's done it," Steve nodded as he peered closer at the notes. "Have any missing persons reports been filed yet?" The obvious next question was the inquiry into the identity of the murder victim.

"As far as I know, nothing as of yet." The forensics group lead was uncertain that an investigation into the true identity of the victim had yet been considered. His focus now was to properly catalog their findings and issue a final report to the joint team.

Groaning tacitly, Steve glanced at Chin across the table. There was nothing further they could do in Sydney. With no additional evidence of where their fugitive was holed up, they were on a cold trail. They needed to either identify the third victim or at minimum, substantiate the corpse was not Kimo Hailama. Steve slightly shook his head in a lame bid to kick start their next strategy into his befuddled brain.

"This doesn't quite impact you directly, at least not yet anyway," Steve grimaced out of utter frustration. "But we'll be having our Oahu based medical examiner fly over to examine the body. We're hoping to get another perspective on the victim's possible identity. I've also confirmed with Owen's that all additional evidence will be jointly shared between our two law enforcement agencies. I'd appreciate you giving him access to all of this."

"We'd welcome that," Arnie pursed his lips thoughtfully. NSW Police Force was tasked with a multitude of differing challenges and dead ends. "The more, the merrier. Yes, we would definitely welcome that."

H50

To further expedite the investigation, Steve again contacted Kono despite the early morning hour. She, rather than Chin, would be contacting Doctor Max Bergman at first light with instructions to fly out to Australia to assist the Sydney Coroner. The conversation also gave Kono the opportunity to discuss the SSD Commander's over-riding concerns about their relocation to the safe house. Withdrawing her conversation softly back out to the kitchen after checking one last time on her sleeping teammate, she queried her boss's response to another tactical uprooting.

Hammering out the strategical components of moving back to Steve's residence was fairly straight forward. The SSD Commander had presented solid reasoning behind the move. The emotional stratagem of being located where her teammate's familiarity with the environment gave him a sense of control over what was occurring rather than being a pawn piece in a distorted game of chess, had merit. How to convey that to her overly percipient boss without blurting out Danny's struggle with the initial displacement was more difficult.

"Is Danny still up?" Steve inquired. "What does he think of moving back to my place?" There was something nagging him about his previous conversation with his partner that he hadn't been able to resolve. He wanted to talk to Danny again, put to rest his sense of unease.

"No. He's pretty whipped Steve. He went down hard again right after he got some food into his system. I took care of Kahu for him..." Kono's statement was abruptly cut short as her boss overrode any further explanation.

"Wait...you took care of Kahu? Why did you have to take care of Kahu?" Steve's low tonal demands betrayed him once again while he struggled to reconcile that he had left his partner to go after Hailama. Another tremor to regain his own footing, the puzzle of his previous conversation with his partner sharply clicked into place, "Kono, what happened during the move?"

The teammates had returned to Owen's office from the ME's to finalize, in essence shuffle papers, for their official requests for Max Bergman to fly out to Sydney. The unexpected statement from Kono set Steve on edge immediately. Out of habit, he flipped his wrist over to frown at the earliest departure the two men could get out of Australia. Steve automatically turned into Chin to gain more privacy in their conversation, placing his back to the Deputy Commissioner.

Chin's hand inquisitively settled on Steve's shoulder as he requested, "Put her on speaker, brah." Both men's unyielding stances spoke volumes while they tensely awaited their teammate's reply.

"Boss, Danny's fine," Kono swiftly unloaded, her voice cutting through the apprehension of the room like a knife. "The move exhausted him. There was a lot to coordinate and Danny insisted on being in contact with Grace immediately following their own move," she explained. Heaving another sigh as the image of Danny softly reassuring his 'baby' that everything was okay, when in reality it wasn't, had been disheartening. "He's just worried Steve."

Steve could hear the undertones of Kono holding back through the connection. "What else, Kono? What else happened?" Chin had beaten him to the inquiry. Slightly stunned at the man's intervention, he looked at Chin for confirmation that something else had happened that their teammate was reluctant to share.

"He's upset about Gracie mostly. And it's not helping that we've been separated from each other boss," her own bit of frustration coming through unexpectedly. "He...he had a minor flashback..." she trailed off as Steve's barked, "What!" broke through her litany of concerns.

Chin shook his head for emphasis, "Find out the detail's later, Steve. Kono, he's okay now though right?" He squeezed his friend's shoulder to get him to focus on just Danny. Both of their frustration levels were threatening to skyrocket due to their inability to be where they were needed most.

"Yeah, cuz. He reined it in all on his own while ten different styles of crazy were happening all around him." Kono's calm voice washed over the connection as she switched her phone to her other ear. "He did great, Steve. He's just exhausted and needed to get more rest. I'll think he'll be happier at your place...more comfortable with what's happening around him," she suggested.

Beginning to pace as he was forced to soothe his own brewing storm, he glanced at Chin to keep himself in check, "Okay, Kono. Then do it. Make the move," Steve demanded. "Gracie and the Edwards too," Steve added. "Do it and just maybe we'll finally get an edge."

H50

_…And a chance of showers continues through tomorrow which will cause flooding issues, but first, our top story._

_Sydney Officials confirmed yesterday that a third body has been found, suggesting the work of a serial killer. The unidentified, white male was located after a fire was extinguished in an abandoned apartment building in Rhodes. I spoke to the owner of the building who said it hasn't been occupied for several years and was slated to be demolished later this month. Firefighters discovered the badly charred body near the rear of the building, which is a total loss. This fire, which the Fire Inspector has determined to be arson, is similar to the other two blazes from earlier this month, both of which yielded bodies. The Coroner's office is investigating the deaths and pending confirmation of identification and subsequent notification of the victim's family, has not released any additional information. According to our producer who went personally to NSW Police Force Headquarters, NSW Crime Scene Operations Branch is scrutinizing the contents of a dumpster located behind the apartments on Spring Street; but to protect the integrity of their case, they were not able to share any information regarding what they are looking for in particular. Interestingly, they did share that two law enforcement officials from Oahu, Hawaii have arrived and may have information related to this case._

_This is Cinder H reporting for Network Ten news..._

Toweling damp hair dry from his shower while waiting for room service to arrive with his breakfast, Kimo was rooted to the spot in front of his wide screen television. After a lovely previous day as distinguished businessman Mr. Angelo Rossi, Kimo was sure he'd heard that news cast incorrectly. Seeking to verify the reporter's information, the news drew him implacably forward. Stunned at first, he had no time for righteous anger while he strove to rationalize what he'd just heard following the insignificant weather report. Obsessively panicking, Hailama surfed the channels from station to station. But Network Ten seemed to have an exclusive and they were excruciatingly slow in repeating their secured alert. Unable to locate another channel carrying the report, Kimo took a seat at the edge of the suite's plush sofa to glare at the grinning face of the female reporter once again.

The gratifying luxury of Angelo Rossi's extended vacation had been viciously ripped from his grasp. His initial panic flared into a renewed vindictive malevolence towards one Detective Daniel Williams. He seethed as he tore through Rossi's belongings to locate the airline tickets and expertly doctored Italian passport. Destroying the hotel's opulent furnishings in his rage, he growled into the phone with Rossi's gold club credit card in hand, "My plans have changed. I'm changing my departure to today...immediately." Hailama's fury rifled through the line as the customer service representative sought to spout the high cost of altering his tickets, "No! I don't give a damn what it costs...just do it. Sydney to Dubai, and then on to Rome. I want the first available flight out...now!"

H50

Max Bergman nodded in pleasure as he completed his call with Kono Kalakaua. Instantly gratified by her request for his expertise in assisting his Sydney-based counterpart, he meticulously planned ahead for their collaboration. Organizing HPD personnel files on ex-officer Kimo Hailama down to the minutest of details, he made arrangements for his arrival.

His follow up call to Doctor Erin O'Neill, NSW Coroner, was ingratiatingly pleasant. Max confirmed that he'd be faxing or emailing all of the ex-canine officer's personal files directly to her attention before his departure. The numerous hours inflight would give O'Neill time for her own studious investigation of the charred body. Perhaps, by the time he had landed, the joint investigation would even be further along in determining the remains were not those of a much detested ex-officer.

**~to be continued~**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Things are getting dicey! Hailama is VERRRRRRRY evil and a bad kind of smart. Anything can still happen...oh, boy. Writer's tact vest once again firmly in place. May actually need it this time! German Translations: 'zur wache'/watch, on guard, 'hoch'/jump, 'gut'/good, 'fuss'/heel. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 24**

Sixteen hours following their consultation in the CSOB lab, the two teammates arrived home from Sydney weary and fighting defeat. The estimated two days had become more than four with both men having exceeded reasonable levels of emotional and physical exhaustion. Their initial, intentionally limited contact back to their 'ohana had resulted in a flurry of activity and warnings. At the break of another brilliant dawn in Oahu, Danny's move back to Steve's residence was implemented. Gracie and the remaining Edwards family were also returned to their home. It was an odd and almost daunting decision, but the unexpected move made sense. Scarce evidence of Hailama's continued existence to show for the extent of their efforts, the two men's last update from Kono confirmed the move back to each respective home had been successful.

Before departing Sydney, the utmost of professionalism had been exuded without an ancillary word being spoken between the two Five-0 men during the necessary international debriefing and paperwork. Words weren't fundamentally paramount to the decisions they had made, their unwavering companionship during the long flight home sufficed. Each man was achingly cognizant that their individual role's in the protection of their 'ohana was more crucial now than it had been before their departure.

Sitting tiredly in his truck at the airport's long term lot, Steve idly checked his voicemail messages. His groundhog day-like existence was about to kick off in grand fashion based on the twenty hour earlier time difference now that he was back in Oahu. Chin had pulled away on his bike scant seconds earlier, their intention being to meet up at his home to check in on their 'ohana together. He paused though, paying full attention when his first voicemail message was from the heavily accented Australian Coroner. Explaining briefly that Doctor Bergman had sent her their fugitive's personal stats prior to his leaving Oahu, she clearly stated that the burned remains of their victim were not that of Kimo Hailama.

Steve replayed the message twice to be certain he'd heard her correctly. His mixed sensibilities that the man was alive heightened his foreboding. His mood darkened considerably as he gazed blindly out the front windshield of his truck while he listened through his remaining messages. Wiping gritted exhaustion from his eyes, he nodded in satisfaction when Kono cleared that nothing further had transpired in Oahu. Still, the local APB's showed no sign of the murderous ex-officer. Kimo Hailama had once again vanished into thin air.

Kono's very last message surprised him as he checked his watch to be sure. According to her, Danny's restless energy had won out. That, combined with Kahu's demanding exercise requirements had him insisting upon a trek to the SSD canine training fields. With contradicting emotions, Steve changed mental gears.

Parking next to the Camaro, he eyed the HPD cruiser and Chin's motorcycle next to his partner's. He chuckled at the Hawaiian's ability to gain ground on him so quickly. Gazing briefly at the vehicles in question, he rolled down the windows of the Silverado to the slowly shifting breeze of the afternoon. His thoughts slowly wandered to the past several weeks before focusing back on the reason for his intended detour. Sitting idly in the shade while surveying the fields, he quickly located the glint of blonde in the radiating sun. Just beyond his partner, he could make out Kono and Chin causally lounging off to the side in quiet conversation.

"He's physically better." Tiredness filtering into edgy reactions, the unexpected comment startled the SEAL into an abrupt defensive surge before he forcefully chuffed out a disgusted breath to relax.

"Duke," Steve reprimanded the older man through just the tone of his voice. "Don't do that."

Grinning, Duke merely shrugged before gesturing towards Danny working Kahu. "He's better; asked me to leave more than once today. He's doing easy runs for Kahu's benefit. If I've got this right, you...Steve, are the one in the dog house."

Steve mimicked his previously disgusted snort while he watched the Sergeant sober under his studied gaze. "Something about four days and having the manners of a caveman," Duke steadily threw at the SEAL.

"Not Neanderthal?" Steve asked slyly as the seasoned Officer chuckled.

"Could have been that," Duke agreed with a lighter smirk. Knowing the Task Force Commander was expecting the next obvious question, "Well? Did you get anything new on him?"

"No." Refusing to offer more, Steve glanced back towards his partner. Hailama had slipped through their fingers, Five-0's full immunity and means pushed to the limits between agencies and countries had failed. He had failed.

Duke was thoughtful as he cocked his head respectfully at the clipped word. He heaved in a deep sigh of regret before harshly clearing his throat.

The change in the older Sergeant's demeanor was worrisome. Steve automatically stiffened while he waited to hear the man out.

"Andy's done, Steve." The quiet statement twisted Steve's gut because of the K9 Officer's instantaneous loss. But then the succinct information became tragically worse as Duke conveyed the harrowing message. "He's never going to regain his eyesight. The doctors confirmed it this morning." Duke exhaled a pain-filled sigh as he knowingly delivered the sole verification of everyone's final defeat.

Steve's evoked vision of the spectacularly botched trip to Sydney flared his self flagellation. But learning now that another good cop...no, a good man...had experienced a personal tragic loss at the psychopath's hands only validated his failure. His suppressed anger at the injustice that hadn't been paid rushed through his system. Passionate fervor for the insidious ex-cop to have been captured and placed in general population at Halawa Correctional Facility as a type of penance, fed his growing rage. But Duke's perceptive, intentional pat of warning on his rigid forearm checked Steve's rampant train of thought. Blowing out a deliberate breath to release his turbulent emotions towards the ex-officer, he ruthlessly stuffed his fury to the far reaches of his mind.

Steve wearily lay his head back against the trucks headrest, watching Danny maneuver Kahu through the distant agility course. He didn't need to ask about their Five-0 Detective as he pushed further into the seat to rub both hands across his face, settling clenched fingers in his hair. Besides the personal devastation, Andy had become a good friend to Danny. His partner would be blaming himself for the man's injuries. The SEAL wondered if his brother's impromptu work session and the need to physically move was pushed by the grievous disclosure of the younger man's medical diagnosis.

Before Steve could eventually formulate a reply to the Sergeant's devastating news, Duke tapped his watch as a firm reminder, "He's nearly done. You should tell him that you're here." It was a subtle warning confirming that Danny had not taken the news about Andy very well.

H50

For another blistering afternoon, the sweltering heat tirelessly sucked at both man and beast's newfound stamina while the session determinedly wore on. Danny's plain white tee stuck to his still too thin torso as he silently moved across the field. His Malinois agilely churned up small puffs of dirt while she sprinted from each finely detailed piece of constructed equipment at his simplest of gestures. She was eager to please this exacting day, initially dancing in front of her handler in anticipation of their training time together. Her silly antics and exuberance in returning to work was contagious, causing Danny to shed the emotional turmoil that had blanketed his mere existence the past several weeks.

Running Kahu through the agility course was familiar...comforting. A training session which demanded he focus solely on her while allowing the beauty of their communication to wash over him. His exquisitely skilled Malinois excelled in agility, her sleek athletic form attacking each obstacle in grace and perfection. Statuesque in her down stays, her intense reaction to his 'zur wache' resembled an accomplished orchestra eagerly awaiting the first down stroke from their beloved conductor. Her mouth expectantly closed from her heavy panting following an exhaustive hour of 'play', her sides quivering in excited expectation of her handler's next command. Gazing intently at each other, he quietly signaled her to him. Streaking across the course towards him, he gestured 'hoch' as he braced himself to catch her. He grunted out his "'gut' girl, Kahu," as she leapt into his arms, his body still adjusting to the complexities of his injuries. She settled immediately into his grasp, gently burying her nose on his shoulder as she chuffed in her own pleasure of the gratifying reward. Gently setting her down, he lavished his dog with heart felt praise for a job well done. Even following their extended time off, her work hadn't diminished in either precision or ardor.

Danny eventually noticed his partner's parked Silverado after Kahu's interest perked at the familiar scent wafting across the field. Duke's HPD cruiser had just pulled away, leaving the tell-tale outline of his partner's appearance by the front grill of the truck. The Detective's sudden sag in his shoulders and placement of both hands on his knees betrayed his yet unspoken relief that his teammates had finally returned home. Glancing over towards Kono, his genuine nod of thanks towards her cousin for watching his partner's back was accepted without grandeur. Gesturing for his dog to 'fuss' as they left the grounds, he stopped a few feet from where Steve waited patiently by the truck. As he ceased his forward momentum, Kahu pressed solidly against the side of his leg. Danny's fingers automatically found the now familiar head, sliding his soothing hand gently into the deep fur along the nape and crest of her neck.

Based upon Steve's demeanor alone, he knew Hailama had officially won his latest gambit to be invisible. "He's vanished," Danny's statement never hinting at a question.

"Yeah, Danny...he's gone. I got the voicemail confirmation before leaving the airport. The burned victim wasn't Hailama." Steve's explanation a form of apology to his friend for his implied failure.

"You heard about Andy?" Danny's inquiry was softly spoken, his own emotional appeal of understanding and support. Steve acknowledged with a nod of his chin back towards where he had been speaking to Duke. Danny continued to hold his friend's gaze, wholly unsurprised when the man heaved a dejected sigh.

Danny's tumbling emotions were overwhelmingly pouring from his one solid tell where he held nothing back from his partner. Roiling azure depths were misinterpreted though, Steve's subconscious alignment of his shoulders in anticipation of his partner's emotional upheaval blazingly evident to his best friend. The Detective cocked his head, slightly frowning at his brother's determination to take whatever his partner would wing his way. The fact that Hailama had disappeared, steeled Danny's determined resolve to pull the shattered pieces of the past few weeks into some semblance of order. That he and Five-0 were notably lacking a desperately needed bid on closure would only draw them that much closer as a team...as 'ohana. Forcefully relaxing his rigid posture while Kahu panted comfortably by his side, he squinted in appraisal at his partner's unflinching gaze.

"It'll be alright. We'll get him Steven...but we'll get him together." Danny's paternal prerogative unexpectedly roared to the surface at the recognizable failure racked heavily across Steve's exhausted face. Bone-tired and devastated, he knew his partner's emotions could potentially overwhelm the man in their complexity. Their failure as a team in apprehending Hailama would lay heavily on all of them, but the SEAL in particular.

With one hand, Danny continued to toy with Kahu's right ear. The remembrance of his initial decision to work with Sig back in New Jersey suddenly washed over his countenance in swirls of deep fondness. He would likely never get over the depths of his responsibility when working with a canine. But Kahu was more now. Her presence solidified...made whole his existence. She was well-nigh as essential to his well being as his beloved daughter Grace. He needed this dog, to be her handler despite everything that had happened. And at the same time, because of everything that had happened, including the loss that Andy had suffered. Her reassuring, live life in the moment presence, gave him quiet comfort. In fact, as Danny watched Steve's face soften while gazing at the beautiful Malinois, he realized they all needed the police dog. She simply fit the complexity of their 'ohana, completing the bond they all shared and honored.

The headlong realization that he had never acknowledged his partner's wise intuition in virtually immersing him back into his true calling mercilessly slammed into his chest. Steve had recognized and then manipulated Danny back to his roots in an almost brutal fashion. But it was what the Detective had needed, definitely what he had always wanted, though he had been eternally afraid to admit it to himself.

Squaring his shoulders while placing his palm on Steve's chest for emphasis, his unplanned proclamation even stunned himself, "You were right all along and I shouldn't have doubted you. Kahu's the perfect addition to our team."

**~to be continued~**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Final heartfelt thanks to JazzieG and CinderH for putting up with us! German Translations: 'nimm'/take it. Enjoy!_

**Epilogue**

When the call came through, it came directly to Steve. It was not Sydney's Coroner, but Deputy Commissioner Miller Owens. "It seems our John Doe has been missed; it just took time for someone to raise a red flag," Owens reported, more calmly than he actually felt.

The call to the NSWPF had first been from the Consolato Generale d'Italia - the local presence of the Italian Consulate. Immediately following that conversation, Owens phoned the Chief Executive Officer of ICT Societa as instructed. Based in Rome, Italy, ICT Societa had finally missed one of their best employees, Dottore Angelo Rossi. Although still lacking critical information, his second call was made directly to Commander McGarrett, regardless of the difference in time.

"He was here on business for a few weeks and then extended his stay for personal reasons. He'd never been to Sydney and was due time off." Dumbfounded by what he was learning, he sensed the Five-0 Commander's ire growing exponentially.

"Rossi never showed up for a monthly executive board meeting about a day and half ago. ICT has been diligently attempting to track him down. They eventually contacted the Italian Consulate here in Sydney for help and I've been fielding calls for the last few hours. Based upon their missing person's report, we feel our murder victim is going to wind up being their Dottore Angelo Rossi."

Lawyers for ICT and their employee were working on forwarding medical data, including dental records to the Sydney Coroner. But without a doubt, the conclusion thus far was that they would get a positive hit.

"I'm sorry, Commander," needlessly apologizing, Owens heaved a disgruntled sigh as he described NSWPF authorities next steps in detail. "ICT has sent their man's travel itinerary and I've sent it on to you to further your own investigation. Arnie Moskowitz and his CSOB team are currently on the way to the hotel where Rossi was staying. According to the hotel's manager, Angelo Rossi checked out early. Not only were a variety of expensive shoes abandoned, part of the suite has been physically demolished. I'm not sure what we may or may not find. I'll be more than happy to share our information if you could please continue to do the same."

Alone in his office, Steve barely uttered a response while Owens spoke. The tension radiating throughout the space was obviously notable, Chin being first on his feet to head towards his boss' closed door before his conversation had concluded. Concern laced with dread poignantly enveloped Kono and Danny when they opted to follow the man.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Steve aggressively spun to his computer to call up his emails. The last received was from Miller Owens which included a series of attachments forwarded from ICT Societa. A brilliant photograph of Rossi in happier times filled the screen; a professional photo which accentuated the businessman's similarities to that of their fugitive.

Steve narrowed his eyes at the likeness, "Damn it." He grit his teeth in frustration as he immediately recognized what Owens had precisely communicated. Rossi's resemblance to Hailama had been manipulated into deceptively believable facts. The ex-officer had almost pulled it off, setting up Sydney for a wild goose chase which would allow the man to slip quietly through everyone's fingers.

Speaking softly to Chin as the man leaned over his desk in question, "Have Kono check this name out on any and all flights in and outside of Australia within the last ten days. He's an Italian national employed by ICT Societa."

Steve needn't say more as Kono heard the tail-end of her orders, "On it, boss." Her instant response only faltered briefly to place a supportive hand on Danny's shoulder. Nodding briskly that he was okay, he pushed past Chin to stand just short of Steve's desk. The Hawaiian warily frowned at his friend's escalating interest.

Kahu had diligently trotted into the tense room behind her handler. Her cold nose briefly greeted Steve's clenched fist before moving back to Danny's side. "This is about Hailama, isn't it?" Unconsciously seeking out his dog's withers to ground him, his further demands for information rushed out, "What's going on? Who called?"

Effortlessly leaning back in his chair belied the tension racing through his body as he looked to Chin first before speaking, "That was Miller Owens. ICT is a Rome-based telecommunications company and it seems one of their executives is…missing."

Chin audibly ground his teeth as he easily construed Steve's next statement, "Owens thinks the John Doe is this employee."

Closely watching his partner, Steve nodded to confirm the astute comment while he turned the monitor towards his two friends. Silently cursing Hailama for whatever disgustingly noxious hole he had managed to so astutely crawl into, Steve enunciated each word as the pernicious truth ruthlessly slammed the evidence into its proper place.

"Meet the now deceased, Dottore Angelo Rossi."

H50

Kono sighed in resignation when her query popped up the passenger information she had requested. "Shit, can't we just catch a break here." Placing both palms flat on the Smart Table, she shook her head to clear her thoughts. They had all been on edge as the collaborative reports continued to confirm the team's suspicions that their highly sought after fugitive had slipped through their fingers. This latest query firmly solidified those fears.

Pushing off of the table, she purposely strode to Danny's office. Although it had been first boss who had requested the report, it was their Detective's life that had been turned inside out by this man over the past several months. Kono had agonizingly watched her friend's determined struggles to gain some semblance of control following his beating and the abduction of Grace; her admiration for their wickedly devoted father elevated to new heights as each day he succeeded. She had always respected their resident mainlander, but her own protective tendencies towards her 'ohana had flared wildly as the threats continued to heighten.

Softly striding into his office, Kono winked at Kahu's confirmative glance in her direction. Danny was sitting on the edge of his desk lost in deep contemplative thought, his back to the open office door. In the center of his desk was the flat, dress blue's velvet jewelry box with the slightly raised New Jersey shield emblazoned on the cover of the opened hinged casing; Sig's collar and shield reverently placed within the inset. She knew the case existed, but she had never laid eyes on it. Steve had adamantly requested that the cousins give his partner much needed space to relay his story when he was ready, which they had honored. Danny had eventually purged those particular demons, but the box had remained hidden away although never forgotten. Kono's slender fingers ran reverently across the edges of the plush casing as she gazed at the much younger picture of a police dog and handler.

"He's mine you know...when we find him," Danny flatly stated, his gaze shifting to Kahu's sprawled form on her bed beside his desk. His features softened slightly, though his eyes remained resolute as they quickly flicked back to Kono's out stretched hand. His slight nod indicated that her interest was not unwelcome.

"No, Danno. One step at a time...we get him together. Just like you said," Steve adamantly countered. Neither Danny nor Kono had heard the other two men approach the open doorway, their boss faithfully leaning against the lintel as if to guard his entire team from further threat.

Chin had proceeded into the office, placing his arm across Kono's shoulders as he earnestly contemplated the case that held another tumultuous juncture in their tenacious friend's life. A time without the support of his family to cover his back. "We're 'ohana brah, we won't let you forget that. We do this together this time," his soft utterance belied the fierceness behind his own loyalty to their team.

Danny nodded in persevering acceptance, then smirked as he turned to face his partner in accusation, "You were listening."

"I always listen to you Danno. You're just too busy ranting to hear me agree with..." Steve laughed outright as he ducked from the fiercely winged tug toy that had been aimed with precision at his head. Catching Danny's gestured release of Kahu to 'nimm', Steve gracefully scooped up the errant toy while he scooted out the door, mischievous glint firmly planted in place. Luring the airborne dog into the grab, the Malinois vigorously engaged in an animated tug-o-war...Navy SEAL style.

"Children...I'm surrounded by insolent..." Danny spiritedly harangued. Determinedly striding after his errant charges, his hand paused briefly on Chin's shoulder in emphasis while his eyes danced in delight. A cacophony of growling from both man and beast resounded through the war room to draw him further hence.

"Do you think he'd mind?" Honorably gathering up Sig's case, Kono placed it respectfully in prominence on one of Danny's shelves.

"No, Kono...I don't think he'll mind," Chin tacitly consented. Nodding in approval, he grinned in knowing acceptance as the raucous ambient noise continued to escalate from the other room.

"Back to normal?" Kono's brilliant smile flashed with mischievous glee as she then bounded out of the office to join in on the fray.

"Aw...you worry me cuz. You've been hanging around them way too long..." Chin recited to no one in particular. Leaning up against the lintel as he watched his teammates, one fierce protective reflection prevailed,_ "One step at a time, Danny. We get him together."_

H50

"If the shoe fits," Max persistently mumbled while checking his computer notes. Based upon Kono's confirmed findings, Rossi's airline tickets had been used the same day Steve and Chin had left Sydney. They had supposedly missed Hailama by two hours. Landing in Dubai, the second leg of that journey to Rome had been forfeited. But the unalterable truth spoke for itself.

With an uncomfortable shrug, Max winced at the Commander's stiff expression. The Medical Examiner had definitively confirmed that Angelo Rossi did indeed have a penchant for Italian designer leather footwear. Fine quality shoes that perfectly fit their John Doe's measurements and decidedly matched the array of expensive footwear abandoned in the hotel room's closet. What he deduced only added more value to the Sydney Coroner's confirmations regarding the deceased. Hailama had made due with the man's fine clothing with the exception of the shoes that didn't quite fit his larger sized feet. The evident conclusion was that Sydney's John Doe was Dottore Angelo Rossi. The facts had been pushed undeniably closer to prove that the man's murderer was Kimo Hailama.

"If the shoe fits," Max repeated softly, "so to speak."

**~the end~**

**_~sequel...Ikaika...yeah...he's still out there...~_**

_...Inexorably still a broken rookie now in hushed reverence to a generous Author's impeccable greatness...with kind-hearted regards...TheDogo._

_Ikaika__ Teaser...next posting..._


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer:** Do not own Hawaii Five-0. No copyright infringement intended.

_Author's Note: Chapter 1 teaser. Enjoy!_

**_Ikaika_**

**Chapter 1**

Frozen. Icicles adhered to her lungs, searing her small breath at each exhale. Thick, glacial rivers of ice slowly migrated down through her wrists and into her hands as she vainly sought to move small fingers to her father's sweaty back in warning. Diminished rays of the faltering evening light filtered through the particles of dust kicked up by tossed flakes of hay into mounted feeding racks. Her pupils dilated in the abject horror of a child's worst nightmare as tears began to roll slowly down her cheeks in silence. Stepping slightly backwards in retreat her momentum was firmly halted as stems of baled hay poked unrelentingly through her smudged white dress shirt. She shook her head 'no' as hundreds of tails swished in the inexorably chase of persistent biting flys, the unexpected bellow of the nearest steer causing her slight body to jump.

He was here.

The grinding of bicuspids and blowing nostrils wafting through the settling 4-H livestock barns softly muted his approaching footfalls through the open isle. He leered at her in perverse pleasure; she was frozen in fear and unable to give her beloved companions fair warning. He had come back from the shadows of the darkness when least expected. Ah, she remembered him; a malignant rush filling his veins as he viciously swung his weapon in ecstasy.

**~to be continued~**

_...when it's completely written and Beta'd..._


End file.
